Telangana govt may take back possession of unoccupied 2BHK houses

Telangana government plans to reclaim unoccupied double bedroom houses in Kollur and other projects. About 6,500 units remain locked. Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy says new housing schemes for the urban poor and middle class will be announced soon

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

The previous Government had constructed 15,660 double bedroom houses at Kollur at a cost of nearly Rs 1,485 crore. However, about 6,500 of these 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 running their petty businesses, about 6,500 beneficiaries have kept the doors locked for a long time, he said, adding a few have even sold their houses to locals of Kollur.

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

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

The Minister further said that, apart from the Kollur project, allottees at five to six other projects in Medchal, Rangareddy and other places have also not occupied the units. Most of these allottees continue to stay in slums and are 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 are fully occupied,” Srinivas Reddy said.

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

Similarly, the government is planning to construct affordable houses for middle-class people along the Outer Ring Road. These houses would be built on 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. Reports have already been prepared after studying different housing schemes in other cities,” Srinivas Reddy said.