BHUBANESWAR: The state government has asked the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) to rehabilitate around 600 families residing in transit homes in Niladri Vihar area of the city, to affordable housing project or in-situ slum redevelopment (ISSR) project under their jurisdictions.
Sources in the Housing and Urban Development department said the government has also issued a set of guidelines to be followed by both the agencies for smooth relocation of the households.
Though information regarding 639 families residing in the transit houses is with the agencies, both BDA and BMC have been asked to conduct a fresh enumeration jointly to ascertain the exact number of families staying in the transit camp and their eligibility for allotment of dwelling units under the affordable housing or in-situ slum redevelopment project, said an official of the department.
As per the H&UD guidelines, families which have deposited part beneficiary contribution but are unable to pay the remaining balance will be assisted to avail bank loan for the purpose. The department has also made it clear that a family will not be allowed to stay in the transit house beyond six months, and has asked the agencies to take measures accordingly.
Last year, the state government had rehabilitated about 455 families from the transit shelters of Niladri Vihar and nearby areas to the Nilamadhab Niwas, an affordable housing project, as part of its ‘Housing For All’ mission. The project includes construction of about 1,200 dwelling units of which about 960 units have already been completed and handed over to BDA for allotment.
In another development, the state government had recently asked the BDA to file cancellation proposal for allegedly failing to take up an ISSR project with 400 dwelling units at VSS Nagar.