The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Slightly far but better homes for poor

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Saturday, Feb 09, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Slightly far but better homes for poor

GHMC’s model colony nearing completion at Abdullapurmet

Each beneficiary has to contribute Rs. 6,250
Plan envisages school, health centre, park etc.

Photo: G. Krishnaswamy

Sweet homes: Weaker section housing colony coming up at Abdullapurmet on the Vijayawada highway. -

HYDERABAD: Two hundred eight blocks of 24 units each spaced out by 20 ft distance, neat plastering, marble flooring, 30-50 ft internal roads and basic amenities to be ready soon.

The weaker sections housing colony of about 5,000 ground plus two dwellings is fast nearing completion at Abdullapurmet on the Vijayawada highway is in a sharp contrast to ‘Vambay’ houses built here.

The houses are part of the 49,000 houses allotted to Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Scheme (JNNURM). The 195 SFT single room tenements with an attached bath and toilet are being constructed on a vast 86 acre site, few kilometres across from the highway.

GHMC is handling the housing portfolio project now. Although work had started 15 months ago, it has picked up in the last few months and houses are to be handed over to the identified beneficiaries by March end, said Executive Engineer K. Prabhakar Reddy.

Subsidy part

Each unit costs Rs. 1 lakh with Central and State Governments picking up three-fourth cost as subsidy, another grant of Rs. 3,750 for toilet and beneficiary contribution being just Rs. 6,250. A six-room primary school, ‘anganwadi’ centre, health centre, market, overhead tank and a one acre park will also be built in an eight acre earmarked slot.

GHMC’s Engineering-in-chief Dr. P. Panduranga Rao explained that the work was handed over to the civic body so as to provide and maintain basic infrastructure like water, sewerage, storm water drains, streetlights, roads, etc., along with building houses.

Basic amenities assured

Commissioner and Special Officer C.V.S.K. Sarma said that building houses for the poor was a ‘big responsibility’ and promised that the houses will be “liveable” with all basic amenities. Periodic visits and regular quality checks were underway to speed up work.

Some of the houses will also be made disabled friendly in consultation with beneficiaries and experts in the field. Disabled and old persons will be given preference for ground floor. “We plan to build 50,000 houses by October end with at least 20,000 to be ready in a month,” affirmed Dr. Sarma.

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