For the reconstruction of the 144 dwelling units at Ammankulam, found structurally unstable, the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) has identified a new site —Vellalore.
Sources in the district administration and the Board say that after a formal approval and go ahead from the latter's headquarters in the Chennai, tenders will be floated for construction.
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In 2009, a block of flats the Board was constructing in Ammankulam for the Coimbatore Corporation under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission sank a few inches, leaving the structures unstable.
Thereafter, the Board decided to bring down the block and, as per expert advice, also decided to reduce the number of floors from ground plus 5 to ground plus 3 to restore stability to the other blocks.
The decision brought down the number of flats there from the proposed 936 to 792.
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Ukkadam
The sinking of apartment blocks recurred itself a couple of years later in 2011 in Ukkadam. There again, the Board was constructing 2,904 flats in 21 blocks for the Coimbatore Corporation under the JNNURM scheme.
After a similar remedial action, the Board decided to demolish the instable Block 4 and stop the other blocks with just three floors.
Reduced number of flats
The Board's move reduced the number of flats by 1064, for reconstruction of which a land hunt is on.
Sources in the Board say that they have identified a few plots in the city's periphery. Once a detailed study is over, the Board in consultation with the district administration would proceed.
Meanwhile, the Board has estimated the loss of demolition and relocation of Ammankulam flats at Rs.80 lakh, which the sources say, the Board will recover from the contractor.
A similar effort is on to estimate the loss from the demolition and reconstruction of the Ukkadam tenements.