EoI to be opened on October 12
*Hyderabad firm, NBCC among those evince interest
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 6: Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board (JKHB) has initiated steps for development of Housing Colonies on 11 land parcels in different parts of the Union Territory on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode and Hyderabad based firm and National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) are among those who have evinced interest in these projects.
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Official sources told EXCELSIOR that after a long hiatus, the Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board, which was established with a view to provide “Affordable Shelter for All” and to make schemes for satisfying the housing needs of the people, has set into motion an exercise for development of several new Housing Colonies.
For development of one each Mass Housing Colony at Birpur near Bari Brahmana and Padgampura in Pulwama district 45 kanals and 30 kanals of land parcels respectively have been identified by the Housing Board. Similarly, for development of Integrated Mass Housing Colony at Watapora in Bandipora and construction of flatted accommodation for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) at Bhalwal in Jammu land parcels of 200 kanals and 85 kanals respectively have been identified.
Likewise, 81 kanals of land has been identified for development of flatted/plotted accommodation at Changran in Kathua; 353 kanals at Chatterhama in Srinagar for development of Housing Colony; 214 kanals at Bakoora in Ganderbal for development of Huosing Colony/flatted accommodation; 41 kanals of land at Bhalwal for construction of housing facilities for Central Government and UT Government employees; 248 kanals for development of Housing Colony at Chak Bhalwal; 69 kanals at Chowadhi Jammu for development of Housing Colony and 16 kanals of land at Kanuyian in Poonch for development of Housing Colony.
During the pre-bid stage, firms from Hyderabad, Jammu as well as Kashmir and National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) company under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, evinced interest in these projects and accordingly formal Expression of Interest (EoI) was floated by the Housing Board few months back. However, the exercise got delayed due to imposition of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for Assembly elections in J&K, sources informed.
“Now, extended date for submission of Expression of Interest will be over on October 10 and on October 12, the Expression of Interest will be opened”, they further said while expressing optimism over good response from the firms for execution of these projects on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
In response to a question, sources said, “earlier J&K Housing Board used to get the projects executed through Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode but in the recent past its Board of Directors decided that in future all the projects of the Housing Board shall be taken up on Public Private Partnership mode”.
Stating that Housing Board will provide identified land parcels free from all encumbrances for execution of these projects, sources said, “the developer will be responsible for entire project development, construction, operation, maintenance and management for proposed period”, adding “the project developer will also be responsible for obtaining all approvals, licenses, No-Objection Certificates and clearances; arrangement of finances; development of all required infrastructure and construction of all mandatory project components”.
Apart from providing land free from all encumbrances on lease to selected developer after signing of project development agreement, the J&K Housing Board will also provide assistance in obtaining required approvals from the Government authorities, sources said while disclosing that Housing Board has decided to develop these Housing Colonies keeping in view the growing demand of housing and in the light of recent Demand and Survey Report.
“All these sites meet the criteria laid down under J&K Housing Policy 2020 and Unified Building Bye Laws of Jammu and Kashmir will be applicable to all development related activities”, sources said.
When contacted, an officer of the J&K Housing Board, while wishing anonymity, said, “we are quite hopeful of good response to the Expression of Interest and within next few days we will come to know how many of these 11 projects will be taken up as early as possible”.
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