Availability of land with proper access and satisfying all the necessary requirements within the city limits for the Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment (LIFE) housing project continues to be a challenge for the city Corporation. When all of the conditions are satisfied, the sellers do not seem to be satisfied with the price being offered.
The local body had earlier identified three plots of land of around an acre each at places like Kattayikkonam and Njandoorkonam.
Meeting
On Friday, a meeting was held in the local body to assess the feasibility of these plots for the housing projects.
However, two of these plots had to be rejected as the land was found to be unsuitable for a housing project, while a final call on the third one will be taken after officials visit the plot, according to an official handling the housing project.
“One of the land has high tension power lines passing through an area of around 15 cents. It is not possible to build a housing complex near such an area, even though there is a large plot of land left even after this. Another plot was found to be in a slanted region. It was also found to be unsuitable. We will visit the third plot later this month to check whether it satisfies all the conditions. All these plots had prices which were suitable for us,” said an official.
The local body has been requesting the State Government for more flexibility in the fixing of the rates, but there has been no response so far.
The fisheries department had earlier this year issued such an order for some of its housing projects, enabling the acquisition of land at rates close to the market rates.
The Corporation authorities have been hoping for a similar order, without which it is almost impossible to go ahead with the project.
Work to begin
Work is expected to begin on the housing project at a 40 cent plot in Karimadom colony, which is part of a 90 cent plot. The local body has already sent plot plans and other documents to the Government to take further steps.