The main objective of this program is to uplift the living standard of the families who are deprived of enjoying even minimum facilities and also to utilize the underutilized lands for urban development projects by extracting the maximum potentials
The social mobilization program is now being carried out by the UDA for the families who were resettled in the Dematagoda multi storied housing complex that was declared open in November 2013, to educate the families as to how they should transform to live in high-rise apartments. In the process the UDA is required to obtain the approval from the Condominium Management Authority to allocate these housing units to the respective occupants in accordance with the Condominium Law. For this purpose the approval has been sought for these housing complexes from the Condominium management Authority for which the UDA has been informed to pay a sum of Rs. 13,2 Million ( with V AT) as the processing fee calculated at Rs.325 per Sq Meter to grant the approval. The above estimate has been submitted only for 820 housing units.
Since UDA has already commenced the construction of 15,000 housing units under the first stage of the program and those schemes are now at different stages of construction for which a huge amount may have to be incurred as processing fee in getting CMA approval. This processing fee is computed on the floor area basis applicable commonly for the condominium complexes constructed for commercial purposes. Since this particular housing project is implemented with a view to upgrade the low income communities living in underserved settlements as social welfare nature, it is reasonable to apply some concessionary payment rate as processing fee in approving the condominium plans. In the case of UDA the processing fee for granting approvals for the building plans of this housing complex are fully exempted.
As per the decision taken by the government to construct high-rise housing complexes with facilities for the shanty dwellers living in underserved settlements under the city of Colombo development program, the UDA has commenced the "Urban Regeneration Program" in the year 2010. The enumeration survey conducted in this regard has revealed that over 68,000 families are living in 1500 Number of tenement gardens scatted in. the City of Colombo in an area of about 900 acres.
Under the first stage of this housing program, UDA has already commenced construction of 14,760 Number of housing units in 19 locations in the City of Colombo and its environs. Out of these projects, the "Mihindusen Pura" high-rise housing project containing 500 housing units was completed in November 2013 and handed over to the recipients while it is scheduled to complete another 5312 housing units in 11 projects in year 2014. Further it has been planned to commence a number of such new housing projects in year 2014 commencing with the construction of another 20,000 housing units.
(ST/KH)
