Caught in the pincer grip of housing loan EMIs and rents, moving into a new flat with even workable interiors and basic furniture could really pinch.

The Calcutta chapter of Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID) has rolled out a four-pronged initiative, working in tandem with Credai, to help LIG and MIG flat-owners make “an informed, cost-effective choice” with their apartment interiors.

IIID, which will mark its second anniversary on January 6, proposes to set up a helpline to offer free advice on low-cost, space-efficient interiors to all LIG and MIG customers in upcoming housing projects and give them a basket of customised options to choose from.

“We are asking Credai Bengal to network with developers, so that they let us set up a temporary office-cum-live-workshop on the campus of upcoming residential estates,” says architect and urban designer Partha Ranjan Das, vice-chairman of IIID Calcutta.

The institute — comprising architects, urban designers, artists, sculptors, photographers and graphic designers — plans to work with real estate developers to showcase a slew of options for efficient interiors, while also interfacing customers with manufacturers.

“We want to provide a LIG/MIG family moving into a new apartment with critical inputs that would whittle down start-up costs substantially,” promises chapter chairman Dulal Mukherjee.

IIID Calcutta also plans to hold training workshops for small contractors, on the lines of that started by Hudco, to make them better-versed in cost-efficient materials, new design and global best practices, which are most suited to our conditions.

“We will also approach Jadavpur University and Bengal Engineering and Science University to engage their students in projects on interiors for LIG/MIG housing. Campus competitions would give the students valuable exposure, too,” adds Das.

“It’s a great idea to involve the educational institutions in interior designing, and the industry will welcome an enhanced skill set in this area,” feels Pradip Chopra, past secretary of Credai Bengal and now chairman of its education committee. Chopra’s PS Group promises help to IIID in holding such workshops.

IIID Calcutta plans to initially focus on the joint-sector companies that have a critical mass of LIG/MIG housing, plus developers concentrating on this segment, besides upcoming projects by the West Bengal Housing Board and the CMDA.