OPods: How micro homes in pipes were developed by a Telangana girl

The launch of OPods or micro homes in pipes has been announced by a 23-year old girl in Telangana. Perala Manasa, who is also a civil engineer, has come up with this idea in a bid to make the dream of owning a house true. OPods are made out of a concrete sewage pipe having a diameter of 2000 mm. The micro homes in pipe features one bedroom within a built-up area 120 sq ft. A report by The IE noted that Manasa belonged to a poor family in Bommakal village in Karimnagar district of Telangana. Having been inspired by her single mother along with help from the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society, Manasa was able to study and pursue B.Tech (civil engineering) from Lovely Professional University in May 2020.

After this, Manasa spent six months studying various designs that have been used in Japan, Hong Kong and other places that can cater to the local needs and suitable weather conditions. In January 2021, Manasa registered the company and started the work on the first model which began in March this year.

The project is mainly focused at the underprivileged, for which Manasa made 12 different designs where she experimented with mobile housing. The designs may suit different sectors as well.

The micro homes consist of a bedroom, hall, kitchen, a washroom and some shelves. All the rooms in the house have adequate facilities for water, electricity, and drainage. Over the tube, a balcony-like lounge area has also been made and the complete set up, according to Manasa, can offer a good place to live for two persons.

The report citing Manasa said that this is spread across 40 to 120 sq ft, and can be customized according to weather. Manasa claimed these micro homes to have a lifespan of 100 years. There are some designs for two or three bedroom places as well. The cost for OPods are estimated at around Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 5.5 lakh.

According to her, in urban slums, many people live under the thatched roofs and this can be ruined when it rains. However with OPod, it can come off as good as a regular house which can also be translocated. The report noted these container homes to be similar to some existing alternatives, however, Manasa believes OPods to be much cooler from the inside along with longer life. While they serve the main purpose of being low-cost for the poor, other designs can be used by restaurants, resorts, mobile clinics as well as guest houses.