Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has approved the construction of 6,157 tenements across nine locations in Chennai at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,401.75 crore. The approval covers the reconstruction of dilapidated housing blocks managed by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) and a new housing scheme for economically weaker sections (EWS).
The state government said that the multi-storey buildings will have basic civic facilities and infrastructure. Under the programme, low income families like those staying in aged TNUHDB buildings, which require redevelopment, will get better housing facilities. In Ahmedabad, a recent allotment draw was held for around 7,800 EWS homes built across 11 locations by the municipal corporation.
6,157 Tenements Planned Across Nine Chennai Locations
Foreshore Estate will account for the largest number of homes under the approved programme, with 1,484 tenements planned at the site. Another 1,158 units will be constructed at Old Block in Vyasarpadi, while Pachaikkal Veerasamy Street will get 912 units.
The government has approved 850 tenements at Udhayasuriyan Nagar and 792 at West Cemetery Road. Construction is also planned at Mullai Nagar, with 462 units, and Kakkan Colony, with 324 units.
The two smaller projects are at Rukmani Nagar and Anadhaikuppam, where 111 and 64 tenements will be built respectively.
Foreshore Estate, Vyasarpadi and Pachaikkal Veerasamy Street together account for 3,554 units, or nearly 58% of the total housing sanctioned under the programme.
While the government has announced the number of tenements to be built at each location, it has not specified how many will be replacement homes for existing residents and how many will come under the new EWS housing scheme. Construction schedules and details of the allotment process have also not been announced.
Tamil Nadu Plans Reconstruction of Ageing TNUHDB Housing
The Chennai housing approval comes after the state announced a larger programme to reconstruct older tenements managed by the TNUHDB across Tamil Nadu.
In October, the Housing and Urban Development Minister said 12,648 tenements at 20 project sites would be taken up for reconstruction during the current year. The estimated expenditure for the programme was Rs. 2,882.62 crore.
The reconstruction programme follows concerns over the condition of several older TNUHDB housing blocks. In October, the minister inspected residential buildings at Pachaikkal Veerasamy Street and NVN Nagar Phase II in Chennai's Villivakkam constituency.
The two sites had 876 and 352 existing tenements, respectively. With the buildings having deteriorated over the years, residents were advised to move to safer locations.
Pachaikkal Veerasamy Street is among the nine sites covered by the latest housing approval, with 912 new tenements planned. The November sanction also includes a new housing scheme for EWS beneficiaries, in addition to the reconstruction of older buildings.
Kannagi Nagar Housing Repairs Approved at Rs. 49.29 Crore
The state government has separately sanctioned Rs. 49.29 crore for the renovation of 6,508 tenements across 673 residential blocks in Kannagi Nagar. A government order granting administrative and financial approval for the work was issued on November 6.
The TNUHDB constructed a total of 15,656 tenements in Kannagi Nagar between 1996 and 2008 under various housing schemes.
Unlike the reconstruction projects, the work at Kannagi Nagar will involve repairs to existing buildings. The government has identified several works, including plastering of roofs and walls, repairs to flooring in common areas and replacement of damaged rooftop tiles with heat-reflective tiles.
Bathroom floors and walls will also be repaired, along with the replacement of damaged sanitary pipelines. The work is intended to improve the condition of the residential blocks and address maintenance requirements in the older buildings.
Repair work has already been carried out in a substantial number of homes in Kannagi Nagar. Between 2023-24 and 2025-26, the TNUHDB renovated 9,148 tenements at a cost of Rs. 41.23 crore. The latest allocation will cover the remaining 6,508 homes identified for renovation.
The expenditure on Kannagi Nagar repairs is separate from the Rs. 1,401.75 crore sanctioned for construction and reconstruction of housing across the nine Chennai locations.
