Jaffna steel houses not suitable for human occupancy

Apr 29, 2016

Findings in a report by a team of local experts say 65,000 steel houses to be constructed in Jaffna by India is a failed project. The report says these houses are without any standard and are not good for human occupancy.

A University of Moratuwa’s civil engineering faculty team headed by Prof. Priyan Dias has prepared the report. Other members of the team are Dr. Rangika Halwatura and architect Varuna de Silva.

 

The report says, the  steel  houses are around at  least  double  the  cost  of  a  block  wall  house and have poor or non-existent capacity for extension or repair.

 

The steel houses suffer from inadequate foundations, insufficient roof support, risk of steel corrosion despite the coatings provided and poor ventilation.

 

Constructed by an Indian company with Indian aid, the entire cost is more than 200 million US dollars.

 

There have been views expressed to the effect that these houses are not suitable for human occupancy. Northern chief minister C.V. Vigneswaran was one of those who had expressed those views. However, rehabilitation and resettlement minister D.M. Swaminathan has maintained they were up to standards. 

 

Read the report by the Moratuwa University team’s report: