GHMC plans a slum-free city

In line with KCR’s bid to make the city slum-free, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials are embarking on a drive. As part of this drive, the corporation will construct two-bedroom houses in slums. Though the corporation has various housing projects like Rajiv Avas Yojna (RAY) and Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), it is currently devoting all its energy on the slum-free project, keeping other projects aside.

The GHMC officials are preparing a detailed project report for the pilot project, which will shortly be put up for the government’s nod. In the pilot project phase, a slum will be identified from each constituency in the city. Apart from construction of pucca houses, the corporation looks to provide basic amenities like better roads, electricity, drinking water and drainage systems.

According to statistics with the corporation, there are 1,476 slums in 24 constituencies in the city. The officials have categorised slums into three divisions-- slums that need to be re-developed, upgraded and relocated. Barring the slums in the relocated division, the slums in other categories will be picked for the pilot project and the initial estimates are estimated to be around Rs 648.24 crore.

“In projects like RAY and JNNURM there is cap on the spending for construction of the house. We are looking to remove such caps in the slum-free project. Rough estimates put the cost of construction of one house at Rs 6.55 lakh. We will closely study the pros and cons in the pilot stage, improve and make changes gradually,” informs a senior planner with the GHMC.

Challenges ahead

Every housing project undertaken by the corporation faced a plethora of problems. Though under the project the face of the colony changes entirety, it will be interesting to see how people will react and co-operate. In slums, there are houses with varying plinth areas and most of the houses are independent. The corporation is planning construction of apartments with all houses having equal plinth area. This move might be objected by the slum-dwellers as was the case with the RAY housing scheme. The challenge before the government and the GHMC would be to convince people for the project.

• Re-development: All houses will be demolished and re-constructed
• Up-gradation: The structure of the house will be kept intact and refurbishments will be added
• Relocation: The slums in proximity of harmful industries will be relocated

Details of housing in slums

Pucca houses 187329
Partial pucca houses 177842
Tatched houses 40876

Estimated costs

Re-development cost 18.01 cr per slum
For 24 slums 432.24 cr
Upgradation of facilities 9 cr per slum
For 24 slums 216 cr
Total 648.24 cr