2BHK housing project: GHMC promises to construct 50,000 houses, builds just 176

Hyderabad: The 2BHK housing project for the urban poor made little progress this year. Despite promising to complete the construction of about 50,000 houses, the GHMC managed to build just 176 in the whole year. A total of 1 lakh houses are proposed to be built in the city. The civic body has acquired 650 acres of land Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medchal and Sangareddy districts and has to invite tenders to construct the houses. Each 560 sq.ft unit with two bedrooms, two toilets, kitchen and hall will be handed over free of cost.

The corporation will construct 90,000 2BHK houses at 69 locations where vacant land is available. Another 10,000 units will be constructed by redeveloping 40 slums. In August, the GHMC finalised tenders for 59,520 units at 88 locations and started work on 27,734 of them at 40 places.

The corporation assured that it would complete and hand over about 600 2BHK units by Diwali at Mansoorabad, Arukala Nancharamma basti and Lambadi thanda at Nacharam. Till date, it has managed to complete only 176 units at Lambadi thanda. This is only the second location where the project is complete, after 396 houses were constructed at IDH Colony in New Bhoiguda in 2015.

A GHMC official said that the project was being delayed by court cases and fund crunch. The corporation has a tough job ahead in 2018 as it has not only to complete construction of all the houses but also hand over the units to beneficiaries prior to the general elections. A GHMC official said the project would be completed in time if the government released funds on schedule. If there is no money, work would be stalled.