Singh handed over the keys to 10 people at the inauguration of the project in Dhanas village. A total of 8,448 flats each of 267 square feet have been built under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission scheme.

As per an official survey, there are around 25,000 families that have been identified as living in slums in various places in the city, a spokesman said adding, "The idea of the project is to make Chandigarh slum-free."

These flats will be handed over to the beneficiaries on lease for a period of 20 years, after the completion of the time period, the house will be allotted to them, he said. The complex would have sewage treatment plant (STP), electricity, drinking water supply, school, police station, dispensary among other things.

The flats have a living room, a bathroom and kitchen and are expected to be inhabited by about 50,000 people. UT Administrator Shivraj Patil has directed officials to plan and set up solar photovoltaic panels on the roofs of all the flats.

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Girija Vyas, Governors of Punjab and Haryana Shivraj Patil and Jagan Nath Pahadia, Chief Ministers of the two states Parkash Singh Badal and Bhupinder Singh Hooda and local Congress MP Pawan Bansal were among those present. Tight security arrangements have been made for the Prime Minister's visit.

PTI