Kolkata: The West Bengal Housing Board has taken up the project of constructing 60 units in 2020-21 fiscal after incurring an income of Rs 33 crore in the last financial year.
The project to develop 60 flats comprising all three categories – Higher Income Group (HIG), Middle Income Group (MIG) and Lower Income Group (LIG) – will come up at a cost of Rs 40 crore.
The initial work of preparing the plan and design of the projects has been completed after relaxations was given during unlock 1. The process to get clearances for the same from all concerned authorities including New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA), as some projects are under their jurisdiction, has also started. Soil testing of the plots have also been carried out.
But the housing board authorities are a bit apprehensive over completing the project within this financial year due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation despite their willingness and effort to do so within the set deadline. The reason being the authorities are not getting a clear picture that when they can actually start the groundwork. A senior official of the board said: "In last fiscal we had given emphasis on selling out all the unsold flats and made an income of Rs 33 lakh. For this financial year we have taken up projects worth Rs 40 crore. We are giving all our effort to complete the same by the end of March 2021. But we will float a lottery for the same only after a considerable part of the project gets completed in the backdrop of the present COVID-19 situation."
The board is also trying to ensure handing over of already constructed 60 flats to its owners by August by holding a lottery following norms of physical distancing as it had not become possible within the previously set deadline of May due to the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of COVID-19.