Social mass housing for eradication of slums in Kochi

[Patterson31]

The State owned housing development consortium in general and the private builders in particular have now committed themselves to a time-bound programme to construct more than 10,000 dwelling units per year.  It is to be implemented on a war footing, to solve Kochi's housing and slum problems.  For the success of this time-bound programme, the following suggestions and guidelines have to be implemented as such:

i.               Giving the privilege of extra Floor Space Index (FSI) and allowing the builders to sell the extra dwelling units to the slum dwellers is rather anti-social, anti-national and totally against the public interests
ii.             The above approach will not stand the acid test of the intended public purpose and public interest, as the government cannot allow such developments and thus legalize the activities of private people to usurp such powers for their own personal private benefits and that too for generation of black money with impunity by breaking and evading all laws and taxes. 
iii.            It needs to be noted as to whether the so-called builders have constructed at least one-room for the Economically Weaker Sections of the Society? 
iv.            Builders' interests are totally different.  Hence, this will not stand the legal test in the courts of law. 
v.              The original landowners should be paid at the full market price in cash or kind to avoid litigations and consequent stalling of such excellent social schemes.
vi.            Under no circumstances should free dwelling units be given to anyone, as it is neither possible nor desirable. 
vii.           Giving cross-subsidies and arranging loans at low rates of interest on long repayment terms will ensure the commitment of the final user to the project.

In Kochi Apartments and flats are developed as part of mass housing schemes.  The sincere effort of the leading builders is appreciable but the role of some private builders is rather suspected and the public has been clamoring for stringent laws for reining in this emerging sector. 

[Patterson31]