Look forward to a slum-free Mysuru.

In a bid to make Mysuru a slum-free city, four projects entailing the construction of 2,800 houses to rehabilitate and develop slums have been approved, in the first phase.

The projects are being taken up under the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) of the Union government, which envisages a slum-free India with inclusive equitable cities and access to basic amenities and civic infrastructure to all citizens.

Mysuru is one of the 10 cities approved under the project in Karnataka, and the draft master plan for implementing RAY is in the final stages of preparation.

A stakeholders meeting involving elected representatives of the city, including the Mysore City Corporation councillors and senior officials, was held here on Tuesday under the aegis of the Regional Centre for Urban and Environmental Studies, Osmania University, Hyderabad.

The objective was to discuss the Slum Free City Plan of Action for Mysuru. MCC Commissioner C.G. Betsurmath said 2,800 dwelling units will be constructed as a pilot project in the first phase in 14 identified slums in the city.

A survey indicated there are 172 slums in Mysuru inhabited by nearly 53,000 households.

It is estimated that Rs. 2,797.28 crore will have to be spent over the next five years to rehabilitate all of them. Of the four works approved for Mysuru, one will be implemented by the MCC, and the remaining will be implemented by the Karnataka Slum Development Board. In all, 116 houses will be constructed in Indira Colony in Narasimharaja constituency, and 700 houses in K.N. Pura.

The Slum Development Board will take up the construction of 1,329 houses in eight identified slums in the Krishnaraja Assembly Constituency while 655 houses will be constructed to rehabilitate the residents of four slums in Chamaraja Assembly constituency. It is estimated that constructing 2,800 houses to rehabilitate the beneficiaries will cost Rs. 145.24 crore.

Project coordinator Balakrishna said RAY was a rolling plan and new slums that crop up could be included in the project, which will be reviewed once in two years. The Centre will contribute 50 per cent of the housing unit cost, while the State government will chip in with 40 per cent. The balance of 10 per cent should be borne by the beneficiaries.

Mayor R. Lingappa said local councillors should be involved in the project as they are aware of the slums in their respective wards and this will help ensure that none of them are left out of the project. Revenue Minister V. Srinivas Prasad, MLAs, councillors and other officials participated in the meeting.

The Hindu