Firhad launches Snehodiya information brochure

Kolkata: Firhad Hakim, state minister for Urban Development on Monday launched an information brochure of Snehodiya, a proposed habitat for senior citizens in New Town.

It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gave the project its name — Snehodiya. It is a project of the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), which is a first-of-its-kind venture by any state government agency. Mackintosh Burn will construct the building and the estimated time is three years. There will be 102 rooms and a guest house comprising six rooms. The project is coming up opposite Swapno Bhor. It has been decided that 75 percent of the price paid on entry will be refunded to the occupants or their heirs in case of vacancy. Hakim also inaugurated a model flat which has been constructed so that the proposed buyers can see them. The sale of application forms along with the information brochure will continue till March 31, 2018. The application forms can be submitted anytime between October 10 and May 31, 2018. The allotment will be done strictly on the basis of lottery. Snehodiya is coming up opposite Swapno Bhor, the only senior citizen's park in the state. Swapno Bhor stands on a 3.5 acre land and has a two-storeyed building housing a library, an auditorium and a coffee corner.

It may be recalled that after coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee abolished the chairman's quota as allegations of nepotism were vraised against the former chairman of HIDCO, Gautam Deb, the then state Housing minister during the Left Front regime. Banerjee also appointed Debashis Sen, a senior IAS officer as the chairman of HIDCO. Recently, HIDCO allotted 75 plots through lottery and allotment of 25 more plots will be done through e-auction.