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One million slum-dwellers may benefit from Bombay's housing project

A joint declaration of intention was signed on Friday by various representatives of the Indian housing industry to provide free houses to Bombay's one-million-plus slum-dwellers.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi were present on the occasion.

The declaration resolved to work with the government and its various agencies and the Shivshahi Punarvasan Prakalp in particular to achieve the objective of constructing 200,000 tenements before 2000. The larger aim is to make Bombay a slum-free metropolis.

It also resolved to raise funds from various financial institutions including housing finance institutions and work in partnership with them.

The intention also seeks to provide low-cost housing to the middle-class in a phased manner through new institutions based on the philosophy of public-private partnership.

They would also involve the community of slum-dwellers, pavement dwellers, community-based organisations and non-governmental organisations in the formulation, planning and implementation of slum rehabilitation programme.

Efforts are also on to encourage innovations both in technology and in institutions and explore various alternative forms of working together.

The declaration resolved to provide full information at all stages and on all aspects from the time the construction starts till the time the houses are sold. The consumers would be provided (whether they are slum-dwellers or others) with safe and durable structures of high quality.

The Shivshahi Punarvasan Prakalp (which will shortly be converted into an independent company) has been established to take over the task of programme implementation.

Thackeray urged real-estate developers to utilise the local labour force for the various projects like the one for slum-dwellers to lessen various problems of Bombay.

He gave the instructions that while implementating the project, hills and mountains should not be touched for stone-extraction, as they bring rain which ultimately fills reservoirs in the metropolis.

Joshi said the housing project was delayed because of the crash in real estate prices and several public interest petitions in court.

Maharashtra's Housing Minister Suresh Jain said 200,000 tenements will be built in the first phase, but the final figure could be 800,000.

UNI