Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid the foundation of six Light House Projects (LHPs) as part of Global Housing Technology Challenge – India (GHTC -India) initiative, in six states today via video conference.
The initiative will lead to a new era in the construction technology in India. To recognize the outstanding contribution and performances by states, union territories, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and beneficiaries, the Prime Minister also gave away the annual awards for excellence in six categories for implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U). A total of 88 beneficiaries from across the country were felicitated on the occasion.
The LHPs with allied infrastructure facilities have been launched at Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot (Gujarat), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ranchi (Jharkhand), Agartala (Tripura) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh). The states and respective places have been selected through a national challenge and these projects are ready for construction. In all six states, nearly 1000 houses at each location are to be constructed under LHPs using six distinct technologies from a basket of 54 such technologies shortlisted under GHTC-India, 2019.
Bringing people and technology together, LHPs will pave the way for a new eco- system where globally proven technologies will be adopted for cost-effective, environment friendly and speedier construction. Advantages of these LHPs are many, the primary ones being durability, climate-resilient, affordability, safety and speed. This technology revolution will help fulfil the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Housing for All’ by 2022. The construction needs of a rapidly urbanizing India will be catered to through the use of cutting-edge and alternate global technology innovations.
The Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri at the virtual launch of the project (PIB)[/caption] The Prime Minister said in the next phase of the same process, the work of six light house projects at different sites is starting from today. These light house projects will be made up of modern technology and innovative processes and reduce the construction time and make a more resilient, affordable and comfortable house for the poor. He further explained that these lighthouses have innovations in construction technology.
For example the project in Indore will not have brick and mortar walls, instead they will use the prefabricated Sandwich Panel system. The light houses in Rajkot will be built using French technology and have monolithic concrete construction technology using tunnel and the house will be more capable of withstanding disasters. In Chennai, US and Finland technologies will use the Precast Concrete system, which will construct the house faster and cheaper. In Ranchi, houses will be built using Germany's 3D construction system. Each room will be made separately and then the entire structure will be added in the same way as Lego Blocks toys.
Houses are being built in Agartala with the steel frames using New Zealand's technology which can withstand major earthquake risk. Canada's technology is being used in Lucknow, which will not require plaster and paint and will use the entire walls already prepared to build houses faster.
The PM said that thousands of houses will be built in 12 months at every location which will act as incubation centers through which planners, architects, engineers and students will be able to learn and experiment with new technology. He announced that along with this, a certificate course will be started to upgrade the skills related to new technology to the people in the construction sector, so that the people can get the best technology and material in the world in house construction.
"LHPs will prove to be a major push towards realizing the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Housing for All’ by 2022. As a strategy, the new global cutting-edge technologies in construction will be adopted and adapted in line with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative," said Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). So far, 1.09 crore houses have been sanctioned against the assessed demand of 1.12 crore.
Construction is in various stages in more than 70 lakh houses and nearly 40 lakh have been completed and delivered to the beneficiaries. PMAY(U) is leading to life transformation of beneficiaries with access to dignified living, health, education, security and ensuring empowerment of women. The Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri and chief ministers of six states where LHPs are being initiated, namely, Tripura, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu were also present at the occasion.
