BANGALORE: A record number of 11,000 police quarters, largely for the police constabulary and sub-inspectors, will be constructed across the State, particularly Bangalore.
This is expected to ensure a higher “residential satisfaction level” in the police force.
The State Cabinet is expected to formally give assent to the proposal, and a Home Department report to the Cabinet is stated to be in the final stages of preparation.
As such, the government has entered into an understanding with HUDCO for financial support for the housing scheme. Construction is expected to commence shortly.
Focus on housing
Minister for Home K.J. George told The Hindu that “my focus is on providing housing to policemen of all ranks, particularly the constabulary who constitute nearly 90 per cent of the personnel in the police force.”
“The aim is to provide housing to all the constables in the next four years and towards this end, at least 10,000 quarters have to be constructed every year,” he said.
The Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation (KSPHC), established in 1985 by the State government as a Special Purpose Vehicle to construct residential and non-residential buildings for the police and allied departments, is all set to take up the housing scheme.
The KSPHC has, so far, constructed around 20,000 residential quarters in 182 residential buildings that it has taken up since inception.
KSPHC Managing Director Praveen Sood said that the number of police quarters as on date is 40,877, of which the KSPHC has constructed 20,182 quarters. The remaining quarters were constructed by Public Works Department and other departments. The “residential satisfaction level” of the police force is about 42 per cent for the sanctioned strength of 96,146.
It is said that such poor percentage of “residential satisfaction level” in the police force has remained a matter of concern for the government.
In view of this, there is a need to construct a substantial number of houses within a shorter time-frame, preferably with external funding. It is towards this end that the State government recently launched the Police Gruha 2020, a programme to provide housing quarters to all police personnel by 2020.
Mr. George said that the KSPHC has been asked by the government to prepare a proposal to construct 11,000 quarters in the first phase of Police Gruha 2020. The scheme, in totality, envisages construction of 36,000 houses in the State by 2020 and as part of the first phase, it is planned to complete work on 11,000 quarters in two years in places where there is acute shortage of accommodation.
The new quarters for police constables and sub-inspectors will have better facilities such as vitrified tiles for flooring, UPVC windows, ceramic tiles for bathrooms, kitchen cabinets with granite slab and stainless steel sinks, cupboards. The estimated cost of construction for 11,000 quarters is around Rs. 1,818 crore and HUDCO will extend financial support at every stage of construction. The loan will be repaid in about 15 years.
