CHENNAI: Beneficiaries of the 1,152 tenements at Perumbakkam, built under the Union government’s Light House Project, are a happy lot. After paying just ₹1.5 lakh for a 406sqft flat (a similarly sized apartment bought from a private builder in the area will cost at least 10 times more), they are thrilled that they have been provided with state-of-the art facilities.
The project, launched in six cities including Chennai is meant for the urban poor. Each flat in the complex constructed by the TN Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB), formerly the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB), and the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs, costs ₹10.55 lakh, with the Union government contributing ₹5.55 lakh and the state ₹3.5 lakh.
The complex has lifts as well as wheelchairs to carry the differently abled, solar-powered street lights, a sewage treatment plant, underground drainage system and 24x7 water supply besides a perimeter wall. More than 200 bus services are operated daily.
K Bharathi, treasurer of the Perumbakkam Light House Project Residents Welfare Association, said the residents, who each pay ₹750 for maintenance every month, will now pay an additional ₹100 each that will be used to set up closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and also used for maintenance of walkways and inside lifts. She said the residents also felt safe and comfortable within the complex.
