Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 15: With a view to provide improved housing facilities to the people in Jammu urban belonging to different income groups of the society, the Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies Nawang Rigzin Jora and the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Industries and Commerce, Sajad Ahmed Kichloo on Saturday laid foundation stone for construction of 524 housing flats at Muthi here today.
These flats are being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 122 crore. The minimum purchasing capacity and accommodation requirements of each Higher Income Groups (HIG), MIG, LIG and Economically Weaker Section, (EWS) have been kept into consideration while formulating plan of these flats. While cost of 3 BHK flat will be Rs 41.5 lakh, 2 BHK flats will cost Rs 32.15 lakh whereas cost of LIG/EWS flat will be Rs 6.43 lakhs. There will be a provision of 120 number of 3 BHK flats, 228 number of 2 BHK and a provision of 176 LIG/EWS flats.
The Secretary Housing and Urban Development, Satish Nehru, Vice Chairman, Jammu Development Authority, Kuldeep Khajuria, Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation, Kiran Wattal, Joint Commissioner, JMC, Kapil Sharma and concerned Engineers and officers of JDA and JMC were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Jora appreciated JDA for utilising the vacant State land for construction of these accommodations, adding that the plan was need of the hour in view of scarcity of land in the heart of Jammu city. He asked the officers and engineers of JDA to make judicious use of land for creating income generating assets, wherever available, and protect it from encroachment.
Mr. Kichloo said that in view of ever increasing population coupled with scarcity of land resources, the JDA should focus on high rise buildings and multi-storeyed commercial complexes, adding that every possible modern facilities should be provided to the people in housing colonies and commercial complexes.
The Ministers also laid foundation stone of a modern Commercial Complex at Muthi being constructed at an estimate cost of Rs 18.17 crore over 6.24 kanals of land. It will have 4 floors with spacious car parking, modern showrooms, shop sites and big multipurpose halls.
Later, Mr Jora visited Shakti Nagar where he interacted with senior citizens of the area and took stock of the problems of people regarding civic amenities. He assured the people that de-silting of the nallah passing through Shakti Nagar will be taken up soon to clean it from accumulated garbage and filth. He asked the people to cooperate with the Municipal officers and field agencies to keep environment clean and hygienic.