File picture of an existing apartment complex at Kalinga Nagar in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, June 23: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) is planning to build affordable houses for all sections of people, including those in higher and middle income groups.

In the current fiscal, BDA plans to construct 2,000 houses for people belonging to higher income group (HIG) and middle income group (MIG). It will also construct around 5,000 houses for the lower income group (LIG) and economically weaker sections (EWS).

With no control over real estate developers, rising housing prices have led to mushrooming of real estate firms that have come up with high cost dwelling units on the city outskirts. Enforcement officer of BDA Deba Prasad Dash said that the development authority had planned for houses for all sections that would cost 30 per cent less than the prevailing market price.

“Main purpose of building such houses is to counter the raising prices of houses built by the private real estate developers and individual builders,” said Das.

These houses will be constructed in clusters on city outskirts, where land is available with the authority.

The houses will have ground plus four floors. While the EWS houses will cost as low as Rs 5 lakh, the dwelling units for upper and middle class people will be affordable when compared to the existing market value. Sources in the BDA said that these houses would be built at Gothapatna on the city outskirt on 20 acres of land. The decision of building such houses was taken at a recent meeting.

The development authority has decided to give priority to the affordable housing policy of the state government.

In accordance with the policy, the BDA will build 5,000 such houses every year. Besides, the authority has been constructing houses for weaker sections under the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) at Mahishakhal and Patharbandh areas in the city.

Till date, BDA has built 2,270 HIG dwelling units and 3,086 houses in the MIG category. Besides, 6,552 houses have been built and provided to LIG and EWS category people since 1976. Even under plotted development schemes, HIG and MIG category people have benefited the most. Of the 5,888 units sold to people at affordable rates, 3,356 houses have been provided to the upper income groups.