The year began with promise, but ended in despair for thousands of aspirants to the double bedroom (2BHK) flats under construction by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) across the city.
Of the one lakh 2BHK homes proposed to be constructed in and around the city, only 572 have been delivered so far to the beneficiaries. This includes 396 houses constructed as pilot project in IDH Colony way back in 2015.
Only 176 dwellings have been distributed this year at Singam Cheruvu Tanda, which flies in the face of the former minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development K.T.Rama Rao’s assurance that the year will be marked by a line-up of house warming ceremonies.
As per the revised deadlines for the project, by the year end, over 40,000 houses were to be completed and distributed to the beneficiaries at 58 locations. At 24 locations, about 4,300 beneficiaries were to be slum dwellers who had vacated their homes and shifted to rented accommodation to facilitate the construction of 2BHK dwellings.
Separate month-wise deadlines have been set for delivery of homes and defaulted upon, except at the Singam Cheruvu Tanda, as per the records.
Deadlines for the next year too are fast approaching and it is highly doubtful if they will be kept pace with. In January itself, close to 14,000 homes are to be completed, and by the end of June, the remaining homes reaching the target of one lakh.
Officials are blaming lack of funds for the delay in delivery of homes. Over ₹300 crore bills are pending with the State Government, they say.
As per the official estimates itself, there are over 20 lakh poor families in need of housing in and around the city. Applications kept pouring in at the collectorates of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts as soon as the government has announced the 2BHK housing scheme, though there was no official notification inviting applications.
Government has limited the scheme as of now to two categories of beneficiaries, namely those being displaced by various projects, and residents of identified slums.