Comparison of construction standards and specifications in public housing projects constructed under different government housing programs
Public housing projects in India are often criticised for the poor quality of houses. Previous research and assessment of Government’s BSUP and RAY program has documented several issues with public housing ranging from very small sizes of units, structural defects (dampness, corroding reinforcement and concrete), poor quality of services like water supply, plumbing, and poor quality and maintenance of open spaces. Public housing is also often constructed with cast-in-place concrete construction systems. A study by the Center for Science and Environment has revealed that monolithic panels made of poured concrete (with a thickness of 100 mm wall) can have a heat gain 60% higher than the conventional brick wall leading to poor thermal comfort.
This research analyses specifications and construction standards of public housing projects in Ahmedabad constructed under three different government programs and channels: 1) Slum Redevelopment through PPP, 2) Affordable housing constructed by private developers in the Affordable Housing Zone and 3) Subsidised public housing for sale constructed by government bodies like AMC, AUDA and GHB. The public housing projects will be compared based on a set of common parameters covering aspects o carpet area and unit layouts, site layout and common amenities, material and quality of construction, quality of infrastructure and services and user perceptions and feedback.
