As many as 59,607 families along city waterways such as Buckingham Canal, Adyar and Cooum are waiting to be resettled.
A recent government order has given hope to many of these residents, if they are not encroachers, of getting a new home, most of them in situ, on unobjectionable land close to their residence.
Work on enumeration of families living in 87 slums along the Buckingham Canal started recently. However, it has been disrupted owing to protests by residents. The number of families living along the canal is estimated to be over 40,000. All these families will get new houses in the vicinity.
According to the order, the government has allocated over ₹10,800 crore for the in situ redevelopment in slum areas in various parts of the State. The funds will be from the Central and State governments and beneficiary contributions.
This is part of the plan to redevelop 1.08 lakh housing units in situ.
A total of 13.55 lakh houses will be constructed in various urban areas, including Chennai, under the slum free cities programme.
Families in many slums along waterways such as Buckingham Canal are likely to get new houses in the residential neighbourhood where land parcels have been identified.
Civic agencies such as the Chennai Corporation have started exploring the possibility of identifying land resources along waterways for in situ redevelopment of slums.
The Corporation has demolished houses of 11,661 families in slums along the waterways, resettling them far away. With the allocation of funds, many of the remaining families need not relocate to far away places.
To cost ₹10 lakh
“We have enumerated 71,268 families along waterways in the city. We have resettled 11,661 families so far,” said an official.
Each of the redeveloped house is expected to cost ₹10 lakh. The space available for eco-restoration will not reduce because of the in situ redevelopment of slums, said an official.
However, those who have encroached upon waterbodies will not get such houses, officials clarify.