‘CIDCO to construct 12500 houses in next five years’

The City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (CIDCO) has earned a reputation as the premier town planning agency in Maharashtra. M.D. Lele, Chief Planner - CIDCO told Jibran Buchh that 12500 houses for the EWS, LIG, MIG and HIG category people would be constructed. 

There is a huge housing shortage across Urban Maharashtra especially in the lower end of pyramid. How can this housing shortage be reduced? Tell us about CIDCO's role in ensuring affordable housing? The proactive role of various public housing, planning, development and local authorities is necessary to effectively address the housing shortage. Ensuring private sector's active participation in the programme by incentivising them through some lucrative policy initiatives can be another way of finding solutions. 

This can also be done by playing actively both the roles - that of provider itself and of facilitator as well, CIDCO is aiming at meeting the objective of making available affordable houses. In next five years we plan to ourselves construct about 12500 houses for the EWS, LIG, MIG and HIG category people. 

With most tier-I cities across India saturated in terms of expansion potential - are suburban nodes like Navi Mumbai the most viable option? Obviously - they are! 

What are the main criteria while selecting appropriate location for a planned city? Some of the criteria involves easy accessibility, potential for development by virtue of upcoming large projects nearby, topography of land, easy and economically viable availability of basic infrastructure - it also includes minimal restrictions on development in terms of large scale land ownership of government agencies/departments and government statutes. 

Do multiple development agencies in India impede setting up of such planned cities? It depends on the role they play - whether complementary or overlapping? Their priorities need to be properly aligned with the general goals agreed upon and there should be no clash of interests. 

Ensuring infrastructure like roads, water, and electricity, healthcare remains vital in any new planned city. Does private participation ensure better, quicker implementation of such facilities? Yes it does. However only profit motive should not be the focus of such agencies and the fruits of development should reach the vulnerable sections of the society as well. 

Tell us about the current status of Navi Mumbai's first metro rail corridor? 
Separate tenders have been invited for construction of both - 11 railway stations and the viaducts for the approximately 11.5 km long fully elevated corridor for the first line i.e. the Belapur- Kharghar- Taloja- Pendhar section. The notices have been issued only for prequalification of bidders for construction of railway stations at this stage and not for construction of stations. 

We expect that shortly the agencies will be appointed. Purchase of rolling stock, installation of telecommunication, signaling systems etc will follow and the route may be commissioned in 2014-15. 

Tell us about the recent developments with the Navi Mumbai airport project? 
MOEF, Government of India's clearance as also Defence Ministry's clearance is obtained. The process of transferring government and forest lands to CIDCO is in process. The acquisition of private lands has also been taken up. Rehabilitation and relief packages/compensation to project affected persons is being finalised. The Planning Committee has heard the suggestions/objections of the people on CIDCO's proposals to effect change of land use within and around the airport to suit project requirements and abide by the Environment Ministry's conditions.
source:http://www.projectvendor.com/ArticleDetailsByCategory.aspx?aid=458