BHUBANESWAR:The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has decided to introduce precast construction technology to speed up implementation of its affordable housing project scheme.
The decision was announced at a seminar on 'Precast Construction Technology' organised by BDA here on Monday to educate Government officials and real estate developers about the advantages of the technology.
In precast technology, the raw materials used for construction are created by casting the mould in a controlled environment and transported to the project site.
Highlighting the increasing requirement for affordable houses in the Capital, Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister and chief guest of the seminar Pushpendra Singhdeo said the city's current population of 10 lakh is expected to cross 30 lakh by 2030. To meet the housing requirement, the State Government has decided to construct 15,000 housing units in the city every year. Currently, about 42 per cent of the city's population are living in slum areas.
BDA Vice-Chairman Krishan Kumar said the upcoming affordable housing scheme at Shyampur is expected to be the first project in the State in which precast construction technology will be used. The technology will also be used in town planning scheme which will be executed on the outskirts of the city. BDA will soon float an open tender for the project, he added.
Chief Secretary GC Pati said all stakeholders in the real estate sector need to join hands for faster and economical method of construction to meet the shortage of one lakh housing units that the city will face soon.
Experts present at the seminar said if more than 4000 housing units are constructed using precast construction technology, the project cost will be reduced by 10 per cent.
BDA is also considering the option of incentivising builders who use the eco-friendly precast construction technology. Once the new construction technique finds a foothold in the Capital, it will be spread to other urban local bodies (ULBs) of the State.
Government officials, real estate developers and other stakeholders participated in the seminar.