BDA to offer low-cost houses in Odisha capital

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Dec 15:

In a bid to provide affordable house to denizens, Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on Thursday has invited proposals from private players of real-estate sector to build a stock of 2,600 affordable houses in Chandrasekharpur area in Odisha capital over 20.31 acres of land.

The request for proposal (RFP) has been issued by the development authority as per the Model-III of Policy for Housing for All in Urban Areas, Odisha, 2015, to promote development of affordable housing units in the State.

This project will be developed in the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.

The houses will come up with a super built-up area of 32.2 square metres or 346.6 square feet and for the entire housing project there would be common facilities like drinking water supply, road network, power supply, street lights, solid waste management and drainage system, informed a BDA official.

There would also be additional infrastructure like primary school, Anganwadi Centre, public health centre and shopping cluster in the immediate neighbourhood, add the official.

The project is proposed at one of the most developed areas in the state capital with Lumbini Vihar, Buddha Jayanti Park and many prominent colonies in the neighbourhood.

The location is 11 km from the city railway station, 9 km from the City Centre and 12 km from the Biju Patnaik International Airport.

As per the model, the successful bidder in the process will develop 65 percent land of the 20.31 acres area into the affordable housing cluster of 2,600 units along with other essential and additional infrastructure with its own cost.

However, in lieu of the investment made by the developer, the rest 35 percent of land would be developed into high-end houses or commercial complexes to sell them at market rates.

The development of the commercial segment of the project, would, however, be governed by Real Estate Regulations Act, 2016, and announced by the Centre.

Sources in BDA said that the developer, after getting all statutory approvals and papers for the affordable housing project must have to close it within 18 months time. In fact, with the stringent regulations under RERA Act the real-estate developers have to become time-bound performs to deliver their project.

It can me mentioned here that while the Bhubaneswar Development Authority has already fixed a target of 10,000 EWS houses by the month of April. This year, through various project so far, project has already been floated for 7,000 EWS units.