Telangana government cancels 62,600 2BHK houses, to get Indiramma houses
Hyderabad: The state government has decided to cancel 62,600 double bedroom houses (2BHKs) that were sanctioned but not constructed during the previous BRS government's nine-year tenure, official sources said.
Instead, the sources said, the Congress government has decided to provide Indiramma houses to the beneficiaries.
The BRS government had sanctioned 2.92 lakh 2BHK houses, including one lakh under the GHMC limits. However, it could build just 1.54 lakh 2BHK houses in nine years by spending `12,500 crore.
The condition of many of these completed 2BHK units have deteriorated significantly, with issues ranging from structural damage due to water seepage during the rains to fundamental deficiencies such as missing doors and windows.
Although a few houses were allotted to beneficiaries selected through the draw of lots, they remain unoccupied due to their bad condition.
In GHMC limits alone, out of the sanctioned one lakh 2BHK houses, a mere 69,000 were constructed. The haste with which some of these incomplete units were allotted just before the 2023 Assembly polls, without essential amenities like water, electricity, or even proper access roads, led to widespread rejection by its intended beneficiaries.
Consequently, approximately 20,000 houses remain unoccupied and in disrepair even after allotment to beneficiaries. It was estimated that the state government is required to spend `300 crore to provide basic facilities in the GHMC limits alone.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy ordered a comprehensive field survey across all districts to assess the current status of the 2BHK projects. Officials from revenue, housing and municipal departments conducted a survey and found that a significant number of houses were deemed "unfit for living" due to inadequate infrastructure and shoddy construction works.
Surveys revealed that many contractors had abandoned their work midway due to non-payment of bills by the BRS government. They estimated that it would require more than Rs 1,000 crore to repair and complete balance works in constructed houses.
The survey found that out of 2,92,938 2BHKs sanctioned by the BRS government across the state, 1,54,389 have been completed. While 41,925 houses have reached final stages of construction and the construction of 34,022 houses was stopped midway. The construction of 62,602 2BHKs did not begin at all.
The Congress government launched the Indiramma housing scheme on March 11 to construct houses for the poor in place of 2BHK houses. However, due to election code from March 16 to June 6, the construction works could not be launched.
Revanth Reddy, who launched the scheme at Bhadrachalam, said that 4.5 lakh Indiramma houses will be constructed by spending `22,500 crore. He also announced that 3,500 Indiramma houses have been sanctioned for each Assembly constituency.
