Army chief unveils Rs.600 crore Bangalore housing project

Bangalore, Aug 12 (IANS) The Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) Thursday launched a Rs.600 crore ($128 million) project for army personnel at Whitefield on the outskirts of this tech hub.

The Indian Army chief, General V.K. Singh, unveiled the massive project with a groud-breaking ceremony in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and other dignitaries.

‘This huge project is a major step towards realizing the dream of owning a decent shelter of the defence personnel, who otherwise spend the best years of their life in the service of the nation at various places,’ Singh said on the occasion.

The project will have 1,524 apartments of 2/3/4 bedrooms configuration with penthouses on the 13th and 14th floors and will be ready for occupation by April 2012.

‘The housing complex will have 29 towers in seven blocks set amidst green landscaped open spaces,’ an Awho official said on the occasion.

The chief minister assured the armed forces of his government’s commitment to accord approvals for the speedy implementation of the project.

‘We have already waived off development charges of Rs.1 crore due to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) from the housing project,’ Yeddyurappa said.

AWHO was formed in 1978 to build houses for serving and retired army personnel and their widows in select stations across the country.