11 km roads, 297 houses nearing completion in Mundakkai–Chooralmala rehab township

Kalpetta: Along with the construction of houses at the township being developed at Elstone Estate for the rehabilitation of Mundakkai–Chooralmala landslide survivors, work on the main roads is also progressing. The roads are being built to modern standards using Cement Treated Base (CTB) technology. A 12.65-metre-wide road is being constructed through the main entrance, while 9.5-metre-wide roads are being laid through two sub-entrances.

The roads are being built in four layers. First, the soil is compacted using rollers to form the base layer. Over the compacted soil, a GSB layer is laid, and using Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) machinery, soil, cement and chemicals are mixed and concreted to a thickness of 25 cm to form the second layer. Work on this layer is currently underway. A third layer of stones will be laid above this, followed by bituminous concrete (BC) tarring as the fourth layer.

A total of 11.423 km of roads will be constructed within the township. The 12.65-metre-wide main road will stretch 1,100 metres, while the 9.5-metre-wide roads will extend 2.770 km.

Inside roads, with a width of 5.8 metres, will cover 7.533 km. Drainage works are also progressing alongside road construction.

Warping completed for 297 houses

So far, roof concreting (warping) has been completed for 297 houses in the township. A total of 410 houses are being constructed across five zones, providing shelter to over 1,662 people. Each house, built on seven cents of land, has an area of 1,000 sq ft. The houses include two bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, dining room, study area and work area. One bedroom has an attached bathroom, along with a common toilet. The houses are designed to withstand natural disasters.

The township will also include a health centre, anganwadi, public market and community centres. The health centre will have a laboratory, pharmacy, vaccination and observation rooms, OP facility and ticket counter. The public market will feature shops, stalls, an open market area, children’s play area and parking facilities. The community centre will house a multipurpose hall, playground, library, sports club and open-air theatre. Solar facilities, a memorial and an MCF will also be set up. The construction has been entrusted to the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society.

Organising committee meeting

As part of preparations for the first-phase inauguration of the township, an organising committee formation meeting will be held at the Meppadi MSA Auditorium on Friday morning, chaired by Minister O.R. Kelu. MLAs T. Siddique and I.C. Balakrishnan, MP Priyanka Gandhi, District Panchayat President Chandrika Krishnan, Collector D.R. Meghashree, Kalpetta Municipality Chairman P. Vishwanathan, Meppadi Grama Panchayat President Ramla Hamza, and Township Chief Operating Officer J.O. Arun will attend.

Lottery for first-phase beneficiaries today

A draw of lots to allot houses to first-phase beneficiaries will be held at 11 am on Friday at the Meppadi MSA Auditorium under the leadership of Minister OR Kelu. A total of 178 beneficiaries will participate in the draw. Beneficiaries must bring their disaster-affected smart card, Aadhaar card and ration card.

The house handover ceremony for the first phase of the township for Mundakkai–Chooralmala landslide survivors will be attended by Ministers OR Kelu, Roshy Augustine, AK Saseendran, Kadannappally Ramachandran, KB Ganesh Kumar and PA Mohammed Riyas, Opposition Leader VD Satheesan, Deputy Opposition Leader PK Kunhalikutty, MP Priyanka Gandhi and MLA T Siddique, among others.

Each beneficiary will receive the house along with the title deed for 7 cents of land and electricity and drinking water connections. For the first phase, electricity and water connections will be issued in the name of the District Collector. The district administration will bear the cost of these connections for now.

Once all 410 houses in the township are completed, certificates will be issued to transfer the utility connections to the individual beneficiaries’ names.