Authority (UDA) is to begin constructing seven new housing schemes in Colombo for low- income earners.
The authority said its target was 10,000 housing units under the new phase which is scheduled to be completed within 18 months. The project at Applewatta, Maligawatta, Aluth Mawatha in Mattakkuliya Madampitiya. Kimbulala, Bloemendhal and Torrington have been given to local construction companies such as MAGA, Tudawe Brothers, Access, Sierra, State Engineering Corporation, Sanken and CML MTD.
UDA official stated four new housing schemes are to be completed at Aluth Mawatha. Mattakkuliya and one each at the other sites. The houses are being built on plots of land that have been released after a number of low-income earners were resettled in recently completed government housing schemes.
Further stated that while the construction cost of one unit would be Rs. 3.5 million the complete cost of a housing unit including the cost of equipment electricity and a water supply would cost the authority Rs. 6.8 million each. The families relocated in these schemes would have to make an initial payment of Rs. 50,000 and Rs.3,000 each to cover the cost of construction.
The UDA has a target of constructing 30,000 housing units by 2015. Constructing housing schemes around the city have been a part of a large scale Colombo redevelopment plan. The project looks into issues such as flooding, garbage, the lack of open spaces and usable pavements. We have already resolved most of & them. Housing for low-income earners is the only one remaining to be resolved.
The UDA said that studies showed that there were 68,812 low-income houses in Colombo. “40,000 of them are not fit for living. We started constructing 14,000 housing units in 2011 and the construction of 10,000 is to began, We hope to complete 30,000 units by 2015.
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