Bhubaneswar, Dec. 15: Lack of affordable real estate for middle class families in the city has forced many people to look for rented accommodation or move to the outskirts over the years. That could all change in the near future after the development authority today invited proposals from private companies to build reasonably priced houses.

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has invited proposals for 2,600 houses in the city's Chandrasekharpur area targeted at the middle class population. The houses will cost between Rs 10 and Rs 15 lakh each. The project will be developed over 20.31 acres and executed in public-private partnership mode.

"We have invited proposals from private parties in the real estate sector. We will invite the tender after that and the party selected will get six months to execute the project," said BDA vice-chairman Krishan Kumar.

Each house in the project area will have a built-up area of 32.2sqm. There will be common facilities such as steady supply of drinking water and power, road networks, streetlights, solid waste management and drainage systems. There would also be additional facilities such as primary schools, Anganwadi centres, public health centres and shopping clusters in the neighbourhood.

According to the project proposal, the location of the project - Chandrasekharpur - is one of the city's most developed areas with the neighbourhood boasting of prominent colonies such as Lumbini Vihar and Buddha Jayanti Park. It is also easily accessible, being 11km from the railway station, 9km from the city centre and 12km from the Biju Patnaik International Airport.

The development authority has set a target to build 10,000 houses by the end of April. "It is a good news for the middle class. It is difficult for us to own a house in a city where even a small house could cost anywhere between Rs 25 and 30 lakh," said Girija Mishra, a schoolteacher, who lives in a rented accommodation in Rasulgarh.