Light House Project in Agartala soon to see light of the day

Subhasish Mitra (Wide Angle)

The Light House Project (LHP) in Agartala -- envisaging construction of earthquake-safe homes using steel frames -- is in advanced stage of completion and is expected to see the light of the day soon.

 

This technology is common in New Zealand.

 

Official sources said that new construction technologies are being promoted on a large scale under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).

 

They said that LHPs at six locations in the country are the perfect example of promotion of affordable housing projects constructed using innovative technologies in less time and that can be further replicated in the Indian context.

 

The LHPs located in Chennai, Rajkot, Indore, Lucknow and Ranchi have already been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while in Agartala, the construction is in an advanced stage, they said.

 

Under this plan, cutting-edge technology is used to build resilient housing projects at a fast pace. The use of new construction technology is also expected to bring down the overall construction cost, making properties more affordable in the world’s second-most populous country.

 

"These structures will act as incubation centres through which our planners, architects, engineers and students will be able to learn and experiment with new technology,” PM Modi had explained while launching the ambitious project under the Global Housing Technology Challenge.

 

The Light House Projects will have a well-developed infrastructure, including internal roads, pathways, common green area, boundary wall, water supply, sewerage, drainage, rainwater harvesting, solar lighting, and external electrification. Cluster design may include innovative systems of water supply, drainage and rainwater harvesting, and renewable energy sources with a special focus on solar energy.

 

Meanwhile, sources in the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said the second phase of PMAY-U 2.0 will soon be launched and the allocation for the scheme is likely to be made in the Union budget next month.

 

Modalities of the PMAY-U 2.0 are currently being worked out and the second phase will be launched in less than a month. The flagship scheme is being revamped to provide assistance to more urban families and more than one crore houses are proposed to be constructed in the urban areas.

 

PMAY-U 2.0 is likely to have three categories -- Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Low Income Group (LIG) and Middle Income Group (MIG).

 

The Union Cabinet of Modi 3.0 government, in its first meeting held on June 10 under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved government assistance for the construction of three crore houses under the PMAY. The PMAY-U was launched by Modi on June 25, 2015 with a vision of 'Housing for All'.

 

According to the ministry, in the nine years of its journey, PMAY-U has transformed the lives of millions of families for whom a pucca house was no less than a distant dream.

 

The government of India has been implementing the PMAY since 2015-16 to provide assistance to eligible rural and urban households for the construction of houses with basic amenities.

 

In a statement, the ministry said of the 1.14 crore houses that have been grounded for construction, over 84 lakh houses have already been completed and delivered to the beneficiaries. As on date, out of the committed central assistance of Rs 2 lakh crore, Rs 1.64 lakh crore has been released, the statement said.

 

Under the scheme, 94 lakh houses are registered in the name of women, it said. Around 25 lakh houses are under Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme, one of the four verticals of the scheme, an official said.

 

"The PMAY-U promotes women empowerment by providing the ownership of houses in the name of female members or in joint names. Over 94 lakh houses have been provided under the name of women, thus giving them an identity of their own," the ministry added.