T’puram: State govt has granted revised administrative sanction for the construction of an IAS residential complex at Akkulam, with the project cost escalating from the originally approved Rs 50.71 crore to Rs 126 crore, more than doubling the initial estimate.The revised sanction, issued through an order dated March 12, follows a detailed project report submitted by public works department (PWD), based on estimates prepared by ULCCS, the agency entrusted with executing the project. The revised amount includes GST, centage charges and related components. The project, located in Cheruvakkal village near Akkulam, was first sanctioned in 2021, when administrative approval was accorded for civil and electrical works. A managing committee was also constituted and a special officer appointed to oversee the development of the complex. The latest order notes that the revised estimate of Rs 126 crore was submitted by chief engineer (buildings), PWD, along with the detailed project report. While govt has examined the proposal and granted approval, the order does not elaborate on the specific factors that led to such a steep escalation. In view of the sharp increase in cost, govt has opted for a phased execution strategy. As per the order, construction will initially be limited to the extent of the present administrative sanction as Phase I, with the remaining portion to be taken up as Phase II, subject to availability of funds and fresh approvals. The IAS quarters project traces back to 2021 — a period when govt simultaneously cleared a set of housing initiatives under the LIFE Mission. During the same time, administrative sanction was accorded for the construction of seven rural LIFE tower projects comprising 304 housing units, with a total outlay of Rs 48.87 crore. That approval, too, was granted after detailed examination by govt, covering multiple housing clusters intended for economically weaker sections across rural areas. While both projects cater to entirely different segments and purposes, the parallel approvals also bring into focus the divergence in cost trajectories — with the LIFE housing projects, covering 304 units at Rs 48.87 crore, remaining broadly within their sanctioned outlay, even as the IAS residential complex has seen a steep upward revision. The IAS residential complex will continue to be executed by ULCCS under the supervision of the PWD, in accordance with the PWD Manual and prevailing govt norms. The Chief Engineer (Buildings) has been directed to take further necessary steps. With Phase I now cleared under the revised sanction, the project is set to move forward, even as the scale of the cost revision is likely to invite closer attention within administrative and public circles.
