Eight-acre prime plot identified in Vijayanagar 3rd Stage near Hinkal

By S.T. Ravikumar

After numerous unsuccessful attempts to meet the surging housing demand in the city and cater to the housing needs of the middle class and economically disadvantaged citizens, the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) is making another endeavour through an affordable Group Housing Project.

The new focus of MUDA’s efforts lies on an eight-acre plot situated in Vijayanagar 3rd Stage, conveniently located near Hinkal and within the Ring Road. However, this particular piece of prime land was entangled in complex Court litigation for an extended period.

Years ago, MUDA had initially envisioned creating a housing layout and consequently acquired approximately 30 to 35 acres of land near Hinkal. Unfortunately, this development faced opposition from multiple land-owners who challenged the land acquisition in Court, leading to a prolonged legal battle, MUDA Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar told Star of Mysore.

Despite these challenges, MUDA has finally managed to liberate the eight-acre plot from legal tangles and it is now gearing up to utilise this piece of land for the construction of group houses. Positioned approximately 50 metres behind the Ring Road and en route to Basavanahalli near Hootagalli, this location is an ideal site for the Group Housing Project, the Commissioner added.

Two units with G+10 configuration

With clear titles and full ownership under MUDA’s jurisdiction, the eight-acre plot presents a promising opportunity for development. Recently, a team of senior MUDA Officers, including Dinesh Kumar, Superintending Engineer Channakeshava and Assistant Executive Engineer Manjunath, conducted a site visit to assess the potential and draw up a basic plan for the project.

The project will feature broad roads, each measuring 18 metres in width, ensuring smooth and convenient accessibility for the residents. The primary goal is to construct multi-storey buildings with a G+10 (ground floor plus 10 floors) configuration. Two such units are envisioned for the site, accommodating approximately 450 to 500 houses in each unit.

The essential amenities and facilities include access to reliable power supply, clean drinking water, efficient sanitation systems and proper drainage infrastructure. Additionally, recreational spaces like parks, open areas and even lifts in multi-storey buildings will be incorporated.

Architectural design soon

To kick-start the project, MUDA plans to issue tenders for the architectural design shortly. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared, outlining the layout and design in detail and it will be promptly submitted to the State Government for approval.

The project has already garnered significant interest from the public, as evidenced by the staggering number of applications received during the previous “Demand Survey” conducted from May 2 to May 31, 2017. More than 45,000 people have already expressed their interest in this initiative. There is a vast backlog of housing applicants as over 1.35 lakh people have been patiently hoping for over two decades to secure a site to build their own homes.

Joint venture

Dinesh Kumar said that the State Government and Urban Development and Town Planning Minister Byrathi Suresh have supported the initiative of the joint venture that MUDA is planning here.

In a ground-breaking move, MUDA is planning to execute the project without any upfront investment. Instead, it will collaborate with the selected builder, operating as a joint venture. The builder awarded the final tender will be tasked with constructing the housing complexes on the provided land, Dinesh Kumar said.

As part of this joint venture, MUDA will retain full ownership of the land. Upon completion of the construction as per the approved DPR, 50 percent of the houses will be allocated to the builder, while the remaining 50 percent will be under MUDA’s possession, to be made available for sale to prospective home-buyers, he added.

Earlier projects

MUDA had previously explored similar projects using the BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) model for vertical group houses. However, several of these projects encountered delays due to the slow pace of Government approvals.

Earlier, MUDA had planned to construct 550 houses at Vijayanagar 4th Stage, 250 at Dattagalli and 300 houses at Gokulam, totalling 1,100 houses. It prepared DPR for the execution of the three ambitious projects, according to which, 14-storeyed structures were planned in each site. These projects have not taken off as the Government sat on them.