CHENNAI: In the wake of 22-year-old S Syed Gulam’s death, the proposal to reconstruct TNUHDB Srinivasapuram tenements has again gained momentum. This structure was one of the 61 scheme areas recommended for reconstruction by a technical committee, considering their age and waning structural stability. However, even five years after the recommendation was made by the panel, no headway was made.
Sources said after the technical team recommended the reconstruction of all 1,356 tenements in Srinivasapuram, a Central Sanctioning & Monitoring Committee (CSMC) approval was obtained under PMAY (U)-Housing For All (HFA) programme in 2019 for rebuilding the area with an additional 660 houses at a cost of Rs 262.08 crore. The project was later dropped and officials attributed the decision to resistance from families.
“There was resistance from the families, who were opposed to shifting to the high-rise structures that were proposed to be constructed as they were used to a maximum of G+4 blocks. They also wanted the additional 660 houses to be allotted to their heirs instead of outsiders,” an official said. Hence, the proposal was dropped and the CSMC was suitably notified in 2020.
Officials said that following Syed Gulam’s death on Wednesday night, the residents have become more receptive to the reconstruction proposal. “We will begin biometric enumeration of the houses on Monday and complete it in the next two days,” an official said. The reconstruction is expected to be completed in about 18 months. The residents are entitled to a one-time shifting allowance of Rs 24,000.
The officials have now assessed a requirement for 3,000 houses, including units for 1,000 ‘encroachers’ residing in temporary structures and huts. The Srinivasapuram scheme now has 1,356 tenements in 68 blocks in the G+1, G+3 and G+4 categories. According to TNUHDB records, the construction of these tenements began in 1972 and ended in 1977.
Meanwhile, the state government in a press release said that eviction notices were issued to the residents in January and March 2022. Further, several rounds of discussions were held with residents in September and November 2024. However, no consensus was reached in these discussions regarding their eviction and reconstruction of tenements.