CHENNAI: A total of 288 flats built for economically weaker section at New Manali Town will be brought down 26 years after they were constructed as questions have been raised over the structural stability of these flats.
The three-story buildings constructed under Manali New Town Scheme during 1988 have become dilapidated to the extent that they can not be retrofitted now. With the buildings posing a huge risk to the lives of the residents, a portion of a flat on the second floor collapsed a few years ago killing a woman and injuring three others.
While the incident triggered questions over the quality of construction, CMDA officials had stated that the building was originally constructed by Tamil Nadu Housing Board and later handed over to CMDA.
Anna University has conducted a study on structural stability of these flats and found that there was no integrity of concrete structural elements and the strength of the concrete was low.
Sources said chances of these flats being brought down are high. “The buildings were constructed in the 80s and in the last 30 years, no repair work has been undertaken,” sources said.
Interestingly, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India (CREDAI), Chennai in its recent report suggested to promote redevelopment of old and dilapidated assets with more than 30 years of age, by incentivising developers with relaxed development control regulations, increased floor space index (FSI) and transfer of development rights (TDR). The organisation believes the step could be instrumental in rejuvenating the urban fabric of Chennai.
Citing the example of cluster development policy for Mumbai, under which dilapidated buildings of the state government and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority that are at least 30-years-old and have an area of 4,000 square metres were permitted for redevelopment, the report states that similar initiatives may be taken for Chennai as well.
The Chennai metropolitan city has been developed by the agglomeration of a few scattered villages such as Mylapore, Triplicane and Chennai Pattinam in the British era. Post-independence, a lack of proper town planning, increasing population and exodus from rural to urban areas in Chennai has forced town planning authorities to include adjoining villages to the city’s landscape. This has led to scattered development of commercial, heritage, and other asset types, the report stated.
Interestingly, plans are on to demolish the 288 tenements in 19.91 acres of land in Manali New Town and hand it over to Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance board on ‘As is where is basis’ free of cost. It is learnt that the site could be used for affordable housing scheme.