Chennai, Oct 14 (IANS) After a significant delay, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) is set to inaugurate its major housing project with 1,152 flats spread across 16 blocks at Poochi Aathipedu village in Uthukottai taluk, Tiruvallur district, by December.

The four-storey project, constructed for Rs 156 crore, is aimed at providing affordable homes to families from economically weaker sections in both Tiruvallur and Chennai districts.

The project, initiated in 2019 under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) – Housing for All scheme, was originally scheduled for completion within 18 months. However, the pandemic brought work to a standstill for nearly two years. The construction timeline was later extended thrice — from December 2022 to June 2023 and then to June 2025 — before being finalised for completion this year.

Intended to improve urban housing conditions, the scheme focuses on providing secure and affordable accommodation to slum dwellers and low-income families.

The Tiruvallur TNUHDB executive engineer said each flat costs Rs 13.55 lakh, of which Rs 6.5 lakh is contributed by the state government and Rs 1.5 lakh by the Union government. Beneficiaries with an annual income below Rs 3 lakh are eligible under the scheme and are required to pay Rs 6.5 lakh.

Nearly 90 per cent of the construction has been completed, with only finishing works such as painting and the installation of a sewage treatment plant pending.

The project is expected to be ready for occupation by December, following an extension granted to the contractor.

In addition to the residential blocks, the housing complex is being developed with essential civic amenities, including a community hall, a primary school, a Primary Health Centre (PHC), two nursery schools, and three ration shops.

Applications for the flats were accepted through the TNUHDB portal and the Chief Minister’s Special Cell. Once inaugurated, the project is expected to mark a major milestone in the state government’s ongoing efforts to provide affordable housing and improve living standards for economically weaker sections across the Chennai-Tiruvallur region.

–IANS

aal/dpb