TNSCB begins construction of tenements at Kalmandhai

Construction of 192 tenements at Kalmandhai near Gandhi Market in the city by Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) has begun.

To facilitate the construction, TNSCB recently razed down the old tenements, constructed in 1964 mainly for load men of Gandhi Market. Since the buildings had developed cracks, the board decided to demolish them.

The occupants were subsequently issued notices to vacate the tenements in order to start construction at the same site.

Unlike the occupants of TNSCB tenements at Sengulam Colony, who organised a number of protests against the eviction move, the residents of old tenements at Kalmandhi cooperated with the officials and moved to temporary houses.

S. Suresh, Executive Engineer, TNSCB, Tiruchi, told The Hindu that Rs. 12.5 crore had been sanctioned for building 192 tenements at Kalmandhai. Each tenement would have a plinth area of 400 sq ft each. Each house would have a bedroom, a hall, a kitchen and a separate toilet and bathroom. The construction cost for each house would be around Rs. 7 lakh. The allottees would have to contribute 10% to 15% of project cost.

The project would be completed within a year. All beneficiaries, who were living in the old tenements, would be allotted new houses. They had been identified.

Source