By IANS,
Mumbai : The city’s development authorities and a leading realtor will construct a rental housing project for about 43,000 low-income families, it was announced Tuesday.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL) will construct approximately 43,000 units over 525 acres at Virar here.
The self-contained units, with a carpet area of 160 square feet each, will be in 14-storey buildings.
The 56-million square feet project will come up in four phases and is expected to be completed by 2015. The first 10,000 units will be ready by March 2011.
“The rental housing project is in line with the state government’s policy of facilitating housing in urban areas for the low-income and economically weaker sections, and shelter for the poorest of the poor,” said MMRDA commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad.
Added HDIL managing director Sarang Wadhawan: “The benefit of such schemes is not just affordable housing, but a transformation in the minds of people and communities, through enhanced possibilities for education, income generation and better health for residents.”
HDIL will construct the units free of cost.
MMRDA will also develop four-lane roads from the highway and a skywalk from Virar station to the site, regular water supply, electricity and other off-site infrastructural back-up.
“We are already working closely with the MMRDA for the Mumbai International Airport Urban Rehabilitation Scheme. We will rehabilitate the first 20,000 families, out of 80,000 families, under the scheme by December 2009,” Wadhawan said.