HYDERABAD: The double bedroom (2BHK) houses for the poor is still a distant dream for the people of Telangana, one-and-a-half year later, the state government could not ground even ten per cent of the target of 2.72 lakh houses.
The reason being the contractors are not coming forward for take up the works, because of profit margins being less. Though the government had earlier announced the construction of 2.72 lakh double bedroom houses in the state for the poor in 2015-16 and 2016-17, tenders have been finalised for only just 10,000 2BHK houses so far. After much hype over the construction of 2BHK flats in IDH Colony in Hyderabad, there was a lull. “No contractor is filing tenders for constructing the houses,” said an official.
Though, just five months are left in this financial year, the government did not spend much money on the housing scheme. The only breakthrough made in the scheme was that the government persuaded the cement manufacturing companies to supply cement bags at Rs 250 per bag. The state also decided to supply sand free of cost.
However, the steel prices became another hurdle for contractors. In fact, the state government decided to construct 2BHK flats with an estimated cost of Rs 5.04 lakh in rural areas and Rs 5.3 lakh in urban areas. However, the rate in Hyderabad was increased to Rs 7.9 lakh. Even now, no contractor is willing to submit bids for tenders to take up works of the houses.