ITANAGAR, Aug 11: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday said the redevelopment of government housing colonies is a key step towards transforming Itanagar into a modern, well-planned city.
Laying the foundation stone for phase-II of the housing redevelopment project in four sectors of the capital city — B-Sector, C-Sector, P-Sector and Niti Vihar, Khandu recalled the inauguration of the A-Sector multi-storey housing complex on May 31 as the beginning of his vision to replace unsafe, outdated structures with safe and comfortable homes.
“Housing is not only for our employees, but affordable housing for the masses is also our priority. Every flat we build must be earthquake-resilient, safe, and dignified,” Khandu emphasised.
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He gave a stern message to encroachers of government land and property that none would be spared.
“Urban transformation requires planning, discipline, and execution. Together, we will make Itanagar a city we are all proud to call home,” Khandu added.
Phase-II involves the construction of 116 modern flats, including 48 type-II units, 66 type-III units, and 2 type-V units, replacing 42 old and dilapidated type-III quarters.
The flats will be built in G+3 format with ground-floor parking, seismic-resilient design, organised green spaces, better waste management systems, and enclosed compounds to promote community integration.
The project will be implemented by the urban development department at a cost of Rs 80 crore and is targeted for completion by April 30, 2027.
Earlier, state Urban Affairs Minister Balo Raja highlighted the urgent need to protect government land from encroachments during the redevelopment process.
He urged the creation of adequate posts to safeguard all 33 sectors in the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) and called for the establishment of a full-fledged directorate of housing with manpower and resources to manage housing in both the capital region and all census towns of the state.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining quality in construction and taking strict action against government employees who indulge in encroachment, in line with the newly approved general pool quarters allotment guidelines.
Urban Affairs commissioner Vivek Pandey said phase-II will not only provide better living spaces but also help in preventing illegal land occupation, improving urban planning, increasing land-use efficiency, and creating land banks for future development. (PTI)
