Hyderabad: Forty families gathered at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Praja Bhavan in Hyderabad on Tuesday, August 27, demanding the allocation of 2BHK flats that were promised to them by the government. These families, primarily from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community, have been living in rented houses for seven years after their homes in Bakaram, Musheerabad were demolished.
The families have lived in Bakaram since before independence, and their homes were demolished in 2017 reportedly over the age of the structures. In 2016, officials including mandal revenue officer (MRO) Shailaja and revenue divisional officer (RDO) Chandrakala assured them that 40 flats would be sanctioned. However, while the government initially constructed three floors, which were insufficient, they later built an additional two floors.
Despite these promises, only 26 out of the 40 families have received their flats, leaving 14 families still waiting. The families are now demanding that the government allocate all 40 flats as promised.
A non-governmental organization, Campaign for Housing and Tenurial Rights (CHATRI), has been supporting the families in their efforts. Vice chairperson of the Telangana State Planning Board (TSPB), G Chinna Reddy, assured the families that he would speak with the Hyderabad district collector, Anudeep Durishetty, to address the issue and ensure that the government fulfils its commitment.
Babu Rao, one of the affected residents, recalled that in 1978, a lawyer named Subba Rao had filed a case in the High Court to demolish their homes to build a park. The court dismissed the case within a month, allowing the families to remain in their homes until the 2017 demolition.
The families are now urging the government to take swift action to provide them with the homes they were promised.
