Tamil Nadu CM Stalin to inaugurate 88 free houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tirupattur

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will virtually inaugurate 88 newly constructed free houses for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in rehabilitation camps at Minnur village near Ambur town in Tirupattur district by the end of January. 

The housing units have been built by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) as part of the State government’s long-term rehabilitation programme for Sri Lankan Tamils who have been residing in camps across Tamil Nadu since the early 1990s.

For decades, many families have lived in dilapidated single-room structures with limited access to basic amenities.

The new housing project aims to provide them with permanent, safe and dignified living conditions.

In Tirupattur district, Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have been residing in camps at Minnur and Chinnapallikuppam near Ambur. The newly built houses are intended primarily for families currently living in Chinnapallikuppam, and the handover process is expected to be completed by next week.

The houses were completed several weeks ago but remained locked pending the formal inauguration and allocation process.

The urgency of the handover increased after an incident on January 21, when 18 newly-constructed houses at Chinnapallikuppam were found to have been occupied by unknown persons. Following the incident, a complaint was registered with the Ambur Taluk police, and an investigation is underway.

The district administration has since taken steps to ensure that the houses are handed over to the rightful beneficiaries without further delay.

Tirupattur District Collector Sivasoundaravalli, along with DRDA officials, is expected to inspect the new housing units in the coming days.

The housing scheme has been implemented in two phases. Phase I, completed in 2023, provided free houses to 160 beneficiaries. Phase II will cover the remaining 88 families by the end of this month.

Each house has been constructed at an average cost of ₹8.10 lakh and measures about 291 square feet. The units include a living room, bedroom, kitchen and an attached washroom, along with free water and electricity connections.

In addition to individual houses, the rehabilitated camp includes a community centre, a common facility for children, a fair price shop, overhead water tanks, a public library and a workshop for vocational training.

The approach roads connecting the camp to the main road are also being re-laid. The housing initiative was launched by the Chief Minister in Vellore in November 2021 and forms part of a broader effort to improve the living standards and social integration of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees across the State.