Telangana government to reclaim unoccupied double-bedroom houses

The Telangana government plans to reclaim unoccupied double-bedroom houses, particularly in Kollur and other outskirts projects, and reallocate them to genuine poor beneficiaries. Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said policy details for new urban and affordable housing schemes will be announced soon

Hyderabad: Double bedroom houses allottees, especially those who have not occupied their units, are likely to lose them as the State Government is planning to take back the possession of such units.

The past Government had constructed 15,660 double bedroom houses at Kollur at a cost of nearly Rs.1485 crore. However, of these about 6,500 houses are yet to be occupied by the allottees.

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Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy has now said that a majority of the allottees were living in different areas and were not willing to shift to Kollur.

For instance, under Jubilee Hills constituency limits, many poor people were allotted houses in the Kollur housing project. But due to several reasons, especially distance and challenges in conducting their petty businesses, about 6500 beneficiaries have kept the doors locked since long, he said, adding a few have even sold their houses to natives of Kollur.

“We have served notices to such allottees. If they do not respond, we will take back possession of those allottees,” Srinivas Reddy said.

Adopting a transparent procedure, these houses would be allotted to other genuine poor people, he said.

The Minister further apart from Kollur project, allottees at five to six other projects in Medchal, Rangareddy and other places also have not occupied the units. Most of these allottees were continuing to stay in slums and not willing to shift to their allotted houses, he said.

“This problem is rampant in projects constructed on the outskirts. Interestingly, the houses constructed in core Hyderabad area are fully occupied,” Srinivas Reddy said.

The Minister said the government was planning to construct ground plus three or four floor residential structures for the poor living different slums in urban areas. The government would announce the details shortly, he said.

Similarly, the government was planning to construct affordable houses for middle class people along the Outer Ring Road. These houses would be constructed in government lands and if required private lands would also be acquired for the purpose, he said.

“In two to three months, the policy details will be announced. Already, reports have been prepared after studying different housing schemes in other cities,” Srinivas Reddy said.