THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The much-delayed redevelopment of the Rajaji Nagar colony is set to begin next month as the tender for the project has been awarded. “The tender was awarded this month. So, the agreement will be signed soon and the work will start in Oct,” an official of Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL), the implementing agency of the project, told TOI.
The refurbishment of Rajaji Nagar is a long-standing proposal, and the total cost of the project is Rs 9 crore. The project is expected to be completed in nine months. Presently, 18 families have been shifted to a temporary facility.
They will be rehabilitated to the revamped facilities based on the progress of the construction. Once these 18 families are relocated to the new facility, another 18 families will be shifted to the temporary units.
Earlier, only two bidders took part in the e-tenders invited for the project by SCTL. From this, one bidder opted out as the company could not meet the qualification criteria. Since the SCTL could not move forward with a single bidder, the agency had to re-tender the project.
The SCTL had floated the first e-tender early in March this year, and the re-tendering process commenced after the model code of conduct, which was in place as part of the LS elections, was lifted.
At present, around 2,000 families live in the 1,100 housing units of the colony. Phase I of the project proposes the construction of 248 units, a proper stormwater network, access roads, a parking facility, a community, and a recreational facility.
The project was delayed because of the allegations that some of the colony’s residents are not the project’s true beneficiaries. This sparked protests from the residents and it delayed the project further. The actual plan was to complete the project in three phases. The colony sprawls across 12.6 acres of land. The initial plan was to relocate around 189 families to facilitate the project, but now, owing to resistance, only a few families are being relocated.
Thiruvananthapuram: The much-delayed redevelopment of the Rajaji Nagar colony is set to begin next month as the tender for the project has been awarded. “The tender was awarded this month. So, the agreement will be signed soon and the work will start in Oct,” an official of Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL), the implementing agency of the project, told TOI.
The refurbishment of Rajaji Nagar is a long-standing proposal, and the total cost of the project is Rs 9 crore. The project is expected to be completed in nine months. Presently, 18 families have been shifted to a temporary facility. They will be rehabilitated to the revamped facilities based on the progress of the construction. Once these 18 families are relocated to the new facility, another 18 families will be shifted to the temporary units.
Earlier, only two bidders took part in the e-tenders invited for the project by SCTL. From this, one bidder opted out as the company could not meet the qualification criteria. Since the SCTL could not move forward with a single bidder, the agency had to re-tender the project. The SCTL had floated the first e-tender early in March this year, and the re-tendering process commenced after the model code of conduct, which was in place as part of the LS elections, was lifted.
At present, around 2,000 families live in the 1,100 housing units of the colony. Phase I of the project proposes the construction of 248 units, a proper stormwater network, access roads, a parking facility, a community, and a recreational facility.
The project was delayed because of the allegations that some of the colony’s residents are not the project’s true beneficiaries. This sparked protests from the residents and it delayed the project further. The actual plan was to complete the project in three phases. The colony sprawls across 12.6 acres of land. The initial plan was to relocate around 189 families to facilitate the project, but now, owing to resistance, only a few families are being relocated.
