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Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Karimadom Colony rehab project gets green light
Thiruvananthapuram : Nearly two decades of uncertainty appear to be drawing to a close for the residents of Karimadom Colony. The basic services for urban poor (BSUP) rehabilitation project, launched by the corporation in 2008 but stalled since 2023, finally secured technical sanction. Costs, designs and timelines are now in place, but only after persistent allegations of civic apathy and election-driven politics. The civic body confirmed that the local-self govt department has granted technical approval for the project to house all 105 affected families. "The project has been approved, and Costford, the accredited agency, will handle construction," said Jahamgeer S, corporation secretary. "Work will begin within a month of signing the agreement and the project is expected to be completed within a year. Each unit will cost Rs 21 lakh, with a total of 105 units planned. The land has already been cleared for construction." For residents, these developments bring a glimmer of hope after years of inadequate compensation and unmet promises. Since 2023, the corporation has provided each family only Rs 2,000 per month as temporary rent—a sum many consider insufficient, especially given the lack of basic amenities. Ward councillor K K Suresh said: "It shows the corporation's sheer apathy in properly rehabilitating the residents. For the past two years, they have been paying just a meager amount as monthly rent, while residents continue to struggle without essential facilities. The sudden action now seems driven by the upcoming local body elections, rather than genuine concern." However, a source close to the corporation said the delay was due to the beneficiaries' failure to provide the necessary documents. "Many families don't have documents or ID cards. Some beneficiaries are no more and their families don't have the required papers. So, proceedings are underway to resolve the issue before rehabilitating them," a source said. Residents, too, voiced their discontent. Stella Sebastian, a mother of three, said: "Every day, I worry about my children risking illness in these damp and cramped shelters. Rs 2,000 doesn't even cover basic hygiene, let alone safety. We have waited long enough," she said. Another resident, Sathyan P, added: "We have heard promises since 2008, when the BSUP scheme was first mooted for Karimadom, yet here we are, stuck in makeshift homes with no proper toilets or electricity. This project must begin, and it must finish," he said. Indeed, the project's origins run deep. As far back as 2008, plans under BSUP, later integrated into initiatives like the Life Mission, aimed to demolish 105 temporary homes and rebuild units for each family, but tangible progress remained elusive for years. Architectural firm Costford has long been associated with cost-effective and sustainable housing proposals for the colony. Their Laurie Baker-inspired designs included multi-story blocks with terraces and balconies meant to offer dignity and functionality to low-income occupants, a blend of affordability and human-centric design. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
The Hindu
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Thiruvananthapuram Corporation retakes possession of unoccupied and rented out welfare scheme flats
The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has begun the process of retaking possession of flats built for economically backward families which have either been rented out to third parties or have remained unoccupied even years after they were handed over to beneficiaries. According to officials in the Corporation's housing wing, 15 flats have been taken over until now and reallocated to families identified as landless and homeless under the State government's project to uplift extremely poor families. Last week, it was to one such unoccupied flat that the Corporation had retaken possession of that the authorities shifted a four-member family found to be living in a dilapidated one room shed at Muttathara. Survey and follow-up action Officials said the Corporation had an year ago begun a survey to check whether the flats which were provided under various schemes for economically backward families are being occupied by the original beneficiaries to whom they were provided. As many as 60 flats were found to be either vacant or rented out to third parties. These were mainly in the residential complex built over a decade ago under the Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP) project at Kalladimukham and another under the same project which was completed more recently at Poonkulam. According to the officials, one of the reasons for some of the original beneficiaries not occupying these flats built under the old housing scheme could probably be its smaller size. These are one BHK apartments of 320 square feet area. Over the past year, the Corporation had served three notices to the beneficiaries. Following the notices, a few families had returned to their flats to stay. The Corporation has taken possession of the rest of the flats. As many as 50 families in the Corporation identified as extremely poor are landless and homeless. Of them, 15 have now been provided flats by retaking possession from the original beneficiaries. The Corporation has been struggling to find adequate land in accessible areas to build residential complexes under the LIFE project too. This could partly explain the closer scrutiny of flats already awarded to beneficiaries.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Activists seek transparency in spending of Thane development funds
THANE: Civic activists and politicians in Thane have demanded greater transparency from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), calling for a white paper detailing how development funds amounting to several thousands of crores—received over the past 15 years—have been spent. They questioned why, despite this significant financial support from the govts, the city continues to struggle with basic infrastructure and services. The issue was raised by Thane Congress president Vikrant Chavan , who alleged Thane city failed to benefit from the funds, which were meant to drive transformation. Operation Sindoor Amid flare-up hours after thaw, officials say things will settle down with time Ceasefire on, but pressure stays: Key decisions by India against Pak that still stand 'Will work with India & Pakistan to seek solution on Kashmir': Trump 'Over the last decade and a half, Thane received approximately ₹16,000 crore in development funds. Yet, residents still face daily hardships due to poor civic facilities,' Chavan said. 'We have therefore demanded the Municipal Commissioner issue a white paper detailing the expenditure.' You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai According to Chavan, the funds include ₹2,200 crore from central schemes such as BSUP and JNNURM, ₹1,000 crore under the Smart City Mission, ₹6,500 crore from the previous Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra govt, and the remaining from TMC's own budget allocations. 'With this scale of investment, Thane should have developed into a city like Shanghai. Instead, we are left searching for the promised development?' He highlighted persistent urban challenges such as inefficient waste management, severe traffic congestion, rampant illegal constructions, chronic water shortages, a crumbling drainage network, deteriorating educational infrastructure, and delays in the cluster redevelopment scheme. 'All of this points towards stagnation, not development,' Chavan asserted. Meanwhile, citizens—particularly from the Ghodbunder Road stretch, one of the city's highest tax-paying zones—have echoed these concerns. 'Despite paying high property taxes, we rely on irregular water tankers and lack even basic road connectivity. Traffic from the highway is a daily nightmare. Sometimes we think of moving to Mumbai,' said a frustrated Kasarvadavali resident. Chavan further called for a department-wise audit of all completed civic works, scrutinising each stage from tendering to quality checks. He demanded the appointment of an independent committee to verify project status and suggested forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT), similar to the one used for the Mithi River inquiry, if needed. He stated that govt resolutions for all related projects have already been procured and will be used to press for accountability. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
