Hyderabad: The final and odd nail in the coffin was hit on Tuesday, October 1 as the houses vacated by the Musi Riverfront Development Project’s evictees, were being brought down by the swing of hammers and the pull of ropes.
What strikes as odd is that basti dwellers themselves demolished the houses of those who were their neighbours, or friends, till a couple of days ago. The basti people were engaged in the demolitions which were to be carried out by officials, who were nowhere to be seen while the demolitions were taking place brick-by-brick.
There were no emotions or resistance, except from social activist Syed Bilal, who was briefly detained in the basti itself.
“Still six families in Shankar Nagar haven’t received their allotment letters. The Tehsildars of Secunderabad, Malkajgiri and Shaikpet have been posted here temporarily to oversee the demolitions for reasons unknown. The revenue inspector and other officials are present here while the houses are being demolished, even as there is a High Court order against the demolition of houses,” he told Siasat.com.
Tahera Bibi, the last evictee from Moosa Nagar had already shifted to her new home in Chanchalguda, Pilligudiselu 2BHK complex, carrying the burden of grief in her heart, along with the luggage, even as her ailing husband was still in Bhubaneshwar.
Some of the erstwhile owners came there to take their gates, windows and other fixtures, so that they could be used by someone else in need, or could be sold as scrap.
Shehnaaz Begum was one such evictee, who shifted to a 2BHK flat along with her three sons, daughters-in-law and their eight children.
She told Siasat.com that there was a severe water problem in the Pilligudiselu 2BHK complex presently and that the issue hadn’t been resolved yet. Another resident of Chanchalguda also confirmed the water scarcity at the complex built for the Musi oustees.
Similar was the situation in Shankar Nagar, where demolitions happened without any obstruction. The houses still occupied by the owners have not been demolished. However, the tenants who have been living in those houses were thrown on the roads to fend for themselves.
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