For now, sky is the roof for Keshav Nagar residents in Hyderabad

Though the revenue authorities have promised to relocate the slum dweller and provide them 2BHK houses, they say they have no hopes.

Residents of Gachibaowli’s Keshavnagar sit amid the rubble of what were once their homes on Tuesday. As many as 200 structures were removed. | (S Senbagapandiyan | EPS) 

HYDERABAD: Over 60 families of Keshav Nagar slum nestled behind the high rises in Gachibowli spent their night under the bare sky, amid the rubble and debris of their own belongings, as they were rendered homeless after the recent demolition drive by the revenue department authorities on Tuesday.

The drive left these residents, most of whom were construction laborers, helpless as no alternate arrangement of relocation was immediately made available by the authorities.

“I spent the entire night by the roadside and spent every minute fearing for the safety of my daughters. We have lost everything and it will take some time for everything to sink in. Whatever money and gold we had saved and kept at our home has gone in the demolition,” lamented V Padma, who saw her 20 years old home razed to the ground.

The displaced citizens are also miffed with the authorities for using brute force against them. The residents alleged that they are being threatened by the police and revenue officials with lathis to vacate the place when they were protesting against the action at the Mandal Revenue Office at Serlingampally.

 Residents of Keshav Nagar stage protest holding BJP flags at Serilingampally in Hyderabad on Wednesday| Express

Moreover, even after 24 hours of the demolition drive, no alternate housing arrangements had been made for the affected.

M Rani, an aggrieved from the locality said, “Our houses were destroyed in a stroke, and now the revenue officials are asking us to remove our belongings from the place and demanding us to vacate the place. They have made promises that they will construct double bedroom homes for us instead, but we have no hope.”

However, the officials maintain that all necessary arrangements are in place and the drive will only yield good measure to the poor.

“We have arranged for the rehabilitation for 50 families in the Bombay house at Gopanpally. This two acres of land will be used for the construction of 2BHK flats for poor and will be allocated to those who lost their house in demolition. The necessary proposals have been sent to the district collector,” added Md Nayeemuddin, deputy tahsildar, Serilingampally Mandal.