Vadodara civic body to redevelop dilapidated housing blocks for poor

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) plans to introduce a policy to redevelop housing blocks that came up around a couple of decades ago for the urban poor.

Under the housing scheme, the residents living there will be rehabilitated at the existing location after redeveloping the site.

VMC had constructed housing blocks for the economically weaker sections (EWS) of the society under various schemes in areas, including Tandalja, Tarsali, Navi Dharti, Bavchawad, Jetalpur Road and others. For maintenance, many of these residential blocks were in a dilapidated state.

Now VMC is looking to redevelop these residential blocks under the Redevelopment of Public Housing Scheme 2016. The state government has laid down guidelines under the scheme for redeveloping the housing blocks.

As per the scheme, the existing housing blocks are razed, following the construction at the same site. New housing blocks will be allocated to the eligible property owners, including the original beneficiaries and who bought the housing units from those beneficiaries. People living in rented houses are given priority provided they satisfy other criteria. The additional constructed houses can be sold to other eligible persons.

The first project that VMC is redeveloping is the Nilgiri Flats on the Sun Pharma Road. The house has been in possession since 2003-04. This site has 240 housing units in 15 blocks. The residential blocks are currently in a rundown condition, and notices have been issued to the residents to vacate them.

The residents of Nilgiri Flats had approached the civic body for help. If the elected wing approves the redevelopment plan, the residents will be given new houses in fresh construction at the same site. After they vacate their house, they will be given an allowance as rent till they get possession of the new home. It will present the proposal for discussion by the standing committee.

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