Dharamsala: Allotted a year ago, flats for urban poor develop defects
Lalit Mohan
Dharamsala, September 15
The flats constructed for urban poor under the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Program (IHSDP) of the Government of India in Dharamsala have started showing defects. The people, who have been allotted these units, have complained that within one year of their possession, the single-room flats allotted to them have become unfit for living. They have complained to the Dharamsala MC that water was leaking from the roofs in many flats and poor fitments were showing up at many places.
Matter taken up with company
- MC withholds completion certificate of executing agency
- Project took 10 years for completion
- Project cost went up from Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore
- Experts have pointed out that the cost of apartments went up as the government opted for prefabricated technology
- Dharamsala MC Commissioner said the matter of poor construction has been taken up with the company that constructed these units
Commissioner of Dharamsala MC, Anurag Chander Sharma, when asked, admitted to complaints regarding poor construction of flats. The matter of poor construction has been taken up with the company that has constructed these units and the completion certificate to be issued to the company has been withheld.
The project for building 147 flats for poor in Dharamsala was sanctioned during the stint of the BJP government led by Prem Kumar Dhumal. The work for construction was started during the stint of the Congress government from 2012-17.
The initial budget for the project was Rs 10 crore that was provided by the Union Ministry of Urban Development during the rule of UPA-II government. However, the Dharamsala municipal corporation in the year 2017 demanded additional Rs 10 crore for the completion of the project. Sources said that the corporation received about Rs 3.5 crore from state government for the project.
Meanwhile, the cost of construction of the houses went up to over Rs 15 crore. If the cost of the bridge constructed to ensure road connectivity to flats is included then the total cost of the project comes to above Rs 20 crore. Per unit cost of single-room houses went go up to Rs 20 lakh.
Experts have pointed out that the cost of single-room apartments was higher than the prices of single-room dwellings available in the area. They have alleged that the cost of apartments went up as the government went in for prefabricated technology rather than opting for the tradition concrete construction. Some have questioned the technological feasibility of bringing up prefabricated flats in hilly area like Dharamsala that receives heavy rainfall.
The urban poor in Dharamsala also had to pay about Rs 1.5 lakh for getting apartment built. As per the eligibility criteria, urban poor, who do not have their own houses and have an annual income of less than Rs 35,000, had been selected for allotment of houses. The Dharamsala MC has allotted 93 flats to urban poor.
