21-05-2025
Construction of group houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees begins in Tiruchi
Construction of group houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees at Kottapattu on Tiruchi-Pudukottai Highway has begun.
There are about 107 rehabilitation camps for Sri Lankan Tamils in the State. Most of them came into existence about 37 years ago. The rehabilitation camps at Kottapattu in Tiruchi district and Mandapam in Ramanathapuram district are among the biggest refugee camps in the State. The camp at Kottapattu has 470 houses and about 1,200 Sri Lankan refugees have been sheltered there.
Several houses in the Kottapattu camp are in dilapidated condition due to age, poor maintenance and other factors. The State government sanctioned ₹33.30 crore to build new houses for the Tamils, who reside in the existing refugee camp at Kottapattu. The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has been entrusted with the task of building the houses.
As per the plan of the Commissionerate of Rehabilitation and the Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils, 526 houses with ceramic flooring will be built near Kottapattu. They will be constructed in groups. There will be 131 blocks and two individual houses. Each block will have four houses.
S. Gangadharini, Project Director, DRDA, told The Hindu that it would cost ₹25.30 lakh for each block. A sum of ₹33.14 crore would be spent for building 131 blocks. It would cost ₹15.50 lakh for building two individual houses. It would come up on 10.167 acres of land near Kottapattu. Each house would have a plinth area of 291.30 square feet.
She said the construction had begun. Foundation work of all blocks had been completed. It was proposed to complete the work by August. Once completed, all Sri Lankan Tamils, who were residing at the existing camp, would be relocated and allotted new houses. All other basic facilities, including drinking water and street lights, would also be established.
