Singapore-style housing planned for City

Singapore-style housing planned for City
Deccan Herald

The Singapore dream is back. However, this time the imagination has moved from road and transport issues to housing.

The Singapore dream is back. However, this time the imagination has moved from road and transport issues to housing. The Government is planning to duplicate the economical high-rise residential complexes of the megacity, in IT City, through the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy announced on Wednesday that he has already held discussions with the BDA on the issue. “About 90 per cent of the houses in Singapore are allotted through this economical housing scheme. Such plans will go a long way in meeting Bangalore’s housing requirement,” Mr Kumaraswamy said.

According to BDA Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda, about 1,000 acres will be acquired in various layouts to construct these buildings.

Locations

While the exact locations are yet to be finalised, the BDA is planning to build flats of two sizes - 600 sq ft and 800 sq ft.

Priority will be given to those who cannot afford a BDA site or those who have failed to get a site despite repeated attempts.

The apartments will be integrated with the rest of the layout, and cross subsidy will be allowed for by auctioning sites of 2,400 sq ft and 4,000 sq ft dimensions. As per the proposed plan, the scheme will follow the private-public partnership model.

The BDA will acquire and own land, and will make the allotments, while the private partners will construct the buildings and sell their share of apartments.

“We are studying the Mumbai model where apartment blocks have been constructed for lower income groups. We will be ready with a comprehensive plan within a month,” Mr Shankarlinge Gowda said.