BSHB to Develop Global Township

In a step that will change the urban landscape of Bihar, the state government as decided to invest through various resources over Rs. 50000 crore to develop townships and construct 1-lakh houses in the next five years. According to the masterplan prepared by the Bihar State Housing Board (BSHB), it would develop sustainable, integrated residential township in all 38 district headquarters in the state that will also have commercial infrastructure like malls, multiplexes and hotels.
In the first phase BSHB, which falls under the department of Urban Development and Housing Board, would build 25,000 dwelling units in four major cities -- Patna, Bhagalpur, Gaya, and Muzaffarpur -- with an investment of over Rs.10,000 crore on public-private partnership (PPP) model. The Board will also develop social infrastructure comprising schools, health centres and hospitals, children parks, stadiums and other facilities to improve lifestyle of its residents.
Elaborating about the ambitious project, Dr. Prem Kumar, Bihar’s Urban Development and Housing Minister said, “Housing is one of the most essential things for people and increasing urbanisation create demand for this facilities. Almost 20 to 30 percent people are living in cities and they are contributing 40-50 per cent of our GDP.”
Dr. Kumar, while media interactions at BSHB stall at Gandhi Maidan to mark 100th year celebrations of Bihar in Patna, said: 'It is our responsibility to provide them adequate infrastructure with global standard. These projects will change the face of our cities and provide them new dimensions like Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.' To execute the project, Housing Board is taking consultancy like famous architect Hanif Contractor, and other India’s best township planners. It is also in talks with leading real estate developers of the Country, he added.
According to Mr. Shashi Shekhar Sharma, Principal Secretary, Department of Urban Development and Housing, 'We will change the skyline of housing sector in Bihar and bring it on the path of development once again. Housing facilities will define the life style of the city it is relate to our standard of living. BSHB is committed to provide world-class housing option to the people of Bihar. It will also cater the need of second home of non-residential Biharis, who wants a home in his own state.'
Elaborating about the projects Mr. A. K. Suman, MD, Bihar State Housing Board (BSHB) said: 'In first phase, we will build 11,500 flats in Patna, 10,000 in Gaya, 3,000 In Muzaffarpur and 500 in Bhagalpur. New residential projects are coming in sector S, T, U in Kankargarbag and sector 3, 6, 7 in Bahadurpur in Patna. In Gaya we are constructing a new township at Katari Area and in this new township one 7-star hotel, big size mall, schools and hospital would also be there. In Muzaffarpur we will redevelop the colonies at many locations, while new development activities will be carried out in Bhagalpur.'
'We are also coming out with a unique employment counselling centre for job and livelihood assistance of the resident of our colonies that will come under the CSR activities of the Board,” Mr Suman added.
Bihar is one of the fastest growing states of India and the aim of Bihar government as well as the ministry of Urban Development and Housing is to increase the lifestyle of the masses and provide them great facilities for living a world class life. With these efforts of BHSB we will become frontline states in the field of housing infrastructure of the country, he added.