42,432 people live in 166 GHMC slums; Minister directs lands to be identified for G+3 buildings for poor

The Hindu

6 days ago

Telangana Revenue and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy directed collectors of Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal Malkajgiri and Sangareddy to identify lands to build ground-plus-three-storey buildings at the places the poor are living so that the latter's livelihood is not disrupted.
A report on the survey conducted by various departments to verify for slums in the four districts was submitted recently. The houses for urban poor and the survey report came up for discussion at the meeting held by Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy with the officials from Telangana Housing Corporation, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and district collectors of the districts on Tuesday (July 22, 2025).
The requests for Indiramma Indlu or a 2BHK flat from people belonging to economically poor backgrounds in Hyderabad and its surrounding urban areas is increasing. The high rents in the urban areas is forcing them to spend a large portion of their earnings on rents for one or two rooms, the applicants say pointing out that a house of their own would give them relief from financial stress.
166 slums in GHMC
There are 166 slums in GHMC limits where approximately 42,432 people live. Till now, the survey was conducted in 106 areas in Hyderabad, 16 in Rangareddy, 12 in Medchal Malkajgiri and five in Sangareddy. During the survey, around 25,501 kacha houses were identified in the localities. After a thorough study, a report should be submitted by the end of the month on the land available in the slums, number of Indiramma houses that can be constructed at the G+3 buildings, the Minister said.
The collectors were directed to identify government lands, encroached lands, private lands under the control of poor and Bhoodan lands — as there is a provision to utilise this resource for housing for the poor. A report on it has to be submitted at the earliest. An official in each district has to be appointed for the land identification.
The Minister said that though some people from Hyderabad were allotted 2BHK houses in Sangareddy, Medchal and Rangareddy, they were not willing to shift there. Around 30,000 houses are vacant though allotted. Mr. Reddy directed officials to issue notices to the beneficiaries.
High demand for Indiramma Indlu
The hopes of the applicants for Indiramma Indlu or a 2BHK flat from the government is becoming more pronounced as they get to know that people in rural Telangana are receiving ₹5 lakh financial assistance towards Indiramma Indlu. They also point out to the large number of the 2BHK flats which are unoccupied in some parts around Hyderabad, the officials noted.
A domestic worker from Indiranagar of Ramanthapur, Sandhya Rani, said that she lives with three kids in a two-room house. While she earns ₹6,000 to ₹7,000 a month, the rent is ₹6,600. The fee for her three kids who go to college is managed through government and private scholarships and debts. 'We are extremely careful of using electricity since we have to pay if the monthly consumption crosses a limit [200 units per month under Gruha Jyoti scheme]. We don't know what to do if there is any unannounced expense. I am eagerly waiting for an Indiramma Indlu. It will be of great help to us,' said Ms. Rani.
Anita, another resident of the city said that her family income has dropped to less than ₹20,000 and ₹5,500 goes for two-room house rent. 'My husband's earnings have dropped in the past few months. If we get a home at a far away place, like in the government's 2bhk apartments near Indu Aranya in Bandlaguda of Nagole, we can travel to and fro for work,' said Ms. Anita.
President of Gruha Karmikula Union (Telangana State) V. Manjula, said that there are several single women or widows who are struggling to get by every day as it becomes difficult to pay rent, school fees and take care of other expenses. 'Houses for such women would be of immense help,' she said.