While the ruling TRS has been struggling hard to makes a modest beginning for fulfilment of its major poll promise double bed room houses (2BHK) for all slum people, civil society groups have started mounting pressure on the government demanding to provide such houses to all slum people in Hyderabad city by 2019.
It may be recalled that during Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections in January, 2016, the TRS has promised to provide 2 lakh such houses and swept the polls. But even after passage of a year, it failed to start the process.
Over 300 leaders representing the 1086 slum communities in Hyderabad, under the banner of Hyderabad City Slum People’s Federation (HCHPF) have demanded that adequate funds are allotted in the State Budget so that the 2 BHK housing is fully realized.
Bro. Varghese Theckanath, Convenor, Campaign of are Housing and Tenurial Rights (CHATR) said that in the case of Hyderabad, 18.06 Lakh people live in the 4.21 Lakh houses in the 1086 slums. Over the years, 6608 houses were built under VAMBAY and 46487 houses under JNNURM. A large number of these houses have no takers because either they are too far away from their work places, or because they are too small with practically no basic amenities, or educational and health care facilities.
Whereas the 396 houses built under the 2BHK Scheme of the Telangana Government have been lapped up because they are built in situ thus protecting their livelihoods, and meets the UN principle of adequate housing. This is a Scheme if implemented properly can become not only a model for India, but worldwide.
The general body meeting of the HCHPF held today wondered that is the Telangana Government using the 2 BHK Scheme merely as bait to catch votes before elections? Out of the 2.6 Lakh houses to be built in the State, only 1500 have been either completed or in process. Going by the current pace, it deplored that it will take the government 173 years to complete project!
It felt that the Government plans to build the houses under the ‘Public-Private Partnership’ (PPP) model is a clever and planned way to take away the meagre land resources that are in the possession of the poor and the unorganised working classes.
