India is planning to build 10,000 houses in the plantation areas of Sri Lanka as an extension of its housing project in the island nation.

The High Commission of India, in a statement, said it has signed two significant agreements for the construction of 10,000 houses in plantation areas of Sri Lanka under the 4th phase of the Indian Housing Project on Tuesday (Nov.28).

Separate agreements with the two implementing agencies – National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) and State Engineering Corporation (SEC) – are aimed at the early rollout of construction of the 10,000 houses.

Counsellor and Head of Development Cooperation Wing, Eldos Mathew Punnoose; Chairman of SEC, Rathnasiri Kalupahana; and General Manager of NHDA, Kankanamalage Ajantha Janaka were the signatories to the two agreements.

The 4th phase of Indian Housing Project is spread across 11 districts and 6 provinces in Sri Lanka. The high commission’s statement recalled that the overall commitment of the Indian government under the Indian Housing Project currently stands at 60,000 houses.

While 46,000 houses were completed in Northern and Eastern Provinces in the first two phases, the third phase for the construction of 4,000 houses in plantation areas is nearing completion, the statement read further.

“Housing receives focused attention in India’s people-centric development cooperation partnership with Sri Lanka. Beyond Indian Housing Project, 2,400 houses are being built across the 25 districts of Sri Lanka under different housing projects. India’s development cooperation portfolio stands at around USD 5 billion, with close to USD 600 million being in grants.”

Meanwhile, Outgoing Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay on Wednesday travelled by train from Colombo to Medawachiya on a spacious coach provided by India.

-with inputs from agencies