Built with the purpose of providing housing to the poorer sections of the society under the Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY), two blocks of building near Sundernagar in Sanathnagar have failed to serve the purpose so far.
A total of 161 houses in these two blocks were built adjoining Lakshminarayan Yadav Park to provide accommodation to those residing in huts at Shyamalkunta but various factors have come to obstruct the move. While some of these small flats in the tenements were occupied, others lie vacant.
According to revenue officials, 200 plus families live in the huts at Shyamalkunta for whom the housing scheme was taken up and 161 flats were built. “We gave the possession certificates to 161 families but certain issues cropped up. The hut dwellers are refusing to move in and a couple of cases got filed in the courts,” said an official.
Meanwhile, those staying in these flats said they were living illegally since the apartment blocks were lying vacant. “There are hardly any basic amenities here. The administration should take necessary steps to regularise our stay here and provide amenities,” said Rakesh, one of the residents.
The piece of land on which the houses were built forms part of a ten acre site of which 8.5 acres were acquired on behalf of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Ramakanth Inani whose family owned the land said, “There were encroachments on the remaining land following which we agreed to donate 1,750 yards for VAMBAY and in return of which we were assured the rest of the land. But so far it has not happened”.
