Drones used for live review of new tech housing projects by PM; companies commit to complete them before time

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the real time progress of six Light House Projects (LHPs) across six cities with the live feed from drones on Saturday. These projects are using new technologies for faster construction and have the target to complete over 6,000 houses and ancillary facilities in one year.
Modi also reviewed the progress of PM SVAnidhi scheme, which provides collateral free and highly subsidized Rs 10,000 loan to each street vendor. The PM directed the officials and agencies to push more digital payment by street vendors, sources said.
So far as the LHPs are concerned, TOI has learnt that all the construction companies have assured Modi to complete the projects within timeline. The PM had launched the projects on January 1 this year with the aim for large scale adoption of new technologies to build houses quickly. Sources said the housing ministry used live drone feed from factories and also from the actual construction sites to suggest how the projects are on track.
Earlier in February 2018, PM had reviewed the development works in Kedarnath using drones and these were also deployed by government agencies for review of a highway project in Uttarakhand.
“This was at the largest ever when drones were used for live review of progress on ground; from factories to the work sites across a dozen cities. Some of the factories where pre-fabricated items are being manufactured are far away from the work sites,” said a source.
The LHPs are coming up in Rajkot, Chennai, Lucknow, Indore, Ranchi and Agartala.
In Rajkot, monolithic concrete construction technology from France will make the houses strong enough to face natural disasters. Canada's technology, which is being used in Lucknow, entails pre-prepared walls, which will not require plaster and paint, the government said.
In Chennai, the pre-cast concrete system technology from the US and Finland will help construct houses faster and cheaper. In Ranchi, houses will be built using the German 3D construction system just like Lego toys. Each room will be built separately before creating the whole structure.
In Agartala, houses will be built with steel frames using New Zealand's technology to combat earthquakes.