Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday laid the foundation stone of the Light House Projects (LHP) under the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC-India) and said the worldwide challenge of COVID-19 has given the scope to innovate and incubate with new technology.  Modi said these six projects are really like lighthouses at sea, giving a new direction to the housing construction in the country.

The six LHP has been conceptualised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, headed by Hardeep Singh Puri, a former Indian diplomat, and aims to identify and mainstream several innovative technologies from across the world that are sustainable and disaster-resilient.

He said at one time housing schemes were not the priority for the governments as much as it should have been. "However, we know that transformation is impossible without all-around development. The country has adopted a new approach and a different road ahead," he said.

LHPs will be constructed in Agartala, Lucknow, Indore, Rajkot, Chennai and Ranchi, with each location getting more than 1,000 houses for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).  

Modi said: "This global challenge of COVID-19 has given us the scope to innovate and incubate with new technology. From today, work is starting on six Light House Projects at different locations. These projects will be completed by modern technology and innovative processes."

"These projects are incubation centres for our planners, engineers, architects and students to learn from. They will also be able to experiment on new technology," Modi said.

Modi said to promote research and innovation, we're running the ASHA India project. Through this, we're developing new and cheap technology to build houses for the 21st century.

Citing examples of the use of new technology in construction, Modi said that in Ranchi, we are using 3D construction system from Germany. In this pattern, every room will be built separately and then the entire structure will be connected like lego blocks.

"In Agartala, we are building homes using steel frame technology from New Zealand. This is to prevent the houses from the perpetual risk of earthquakes," he said, adding, "In Lucknow, we are using technology from Canada. Plaster and paint would not be needed in this and pre-built walls will be used."

The period of construction is maximum of 12 months from the date these sites are handed over to the construction agency after all statutory approvals.