Telangana's 2BHK project, a dream come true

Hyderabad: It was a dream that B. Ramulu Naik was scared to even aspire for. A daily-wage earner, the 46-year-old never thought of a day when he would have a roof of his own that offered shelter to his family.

But this Sunday, on the occasion of Ugadi, what Ramulu did not even dare to dream of is all set to become a reality. Bidding adieu to decades of survival in a slum, he will be stepping into a dwelling of his own, thanks to the State government’s 2BHK project that endeavours to provide dignified housing to the poorer sections.

On life in slums, Ramulu says, “Eight members of my family lived, ate and slept in a single dilapidated room which had no ventilation. We have no functional toilet and sickness has been a part of our life”.

Its not just Ramulu, but 176 other families too will get their own dwellings at Singam Cheruvu, near Nacharam in a layout that comes with a host of amenities that include a well laid out garden to a play area for children.

With the 2BHK project at Singam Cheruvu, the GHMC has turned a new leaf in the lives of these families that lived in the slum here for almost 35 years. The civic body is completing the project here at a cost of Rs 13.64 crore and the municipal corporation has not only laid out a CC road to connect with the main road but has also set up rainwater harvesting pits and LED lighting.

As part of State’s 2BHK project, the GHMC has taken up construction of 1 lakh housing units in the first phase at 109 locations. Of these, 41 locations are in-situ with 10,269 houses.
Seeking to provide a dignified dwelling unit to the beneficiaries, each of these units comes with a plinth area of about 560 Sft with provision for two bedrooms, hall, kitchen and two bath cum toilets. The design, extent and pattern of dwelling units are utility oriented to meet the urban family requirements, the GHMC officials said. Focus is also on proper sanitation facility, safe drinking water, ventilation and amenities that enhance the living conditions.

Officials pointed out that the slum dwellers here initially had apprehensions on allotment of dwelling units, their dislocation affecting the livelihood during the transit period of construction, possibility of moving to a different level above the ground in a multi storied apartment, etc.

However, extensive interactions with the stake holders by Self Help Groups of the civic body, activities like street plays by NGOs and other programmes apart from counselling by senior officials and elected representatives helped in convincing them to become part of the 2BHK project by handing over the slums for development.