The foundation stone for the country's biggest housing project for the Army personnel was laid at Kannamangala near Whitefield here on Thursday.
The project taken up by the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) at a cost of Rs. 600 crore will have a total of 1,524 flats of 2/3 and 4-bedroom configuration.
The highlight of the project is that it is being taken up on a no-profit-no-loss basis to help war widows, ex-servicemen and serving personnel to buy a house at an affordable cost. It is expected to be completed by April 2012.
The project has incorporated green building concept with provision for solar lighting, solar water heating, rainwater harvesting and use of waste water for gardening and flushing.
The foundation for the project was laid jointly by Chief of the Army Staff General V. K. Singh and Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.
Speaking on the occasion, Gen. Singh appealed to Mr. Yeddyurappa to provide land in other cities in Karnataka to take up such housing projects for the Army staff.
Responding positively to this, the Chief Minister said he would provide land for Army housing projects in Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli, Dharwad, Bidar, Bagalkot and Bijapur.
He said he would direct the Bangalore Development Authority to waive development charges to the tune of nearly Rs. 1 crore due to it from the project.
He pointed out that the State Government had introduced a scheme under which a concession of 50 per cent was being given to the Defence personnel in property tax.
Under the scheme, the Government would reimburse the reduced part of tax to the local bodies concerned.
Major General Narasimhan, who is also managing director of the AWHO, Lieutenant General K. Chengappa, Higher Education Minister Arvind Limbavali and D.B. Chandre Gowda, MP, were present.
