BHUBANESWAR: The agony of homebuyers of Kharavela Enclave, one of the premium housing projects executed by the Odisha State Housing Board (OSHB) near Khandagiri Square here, continues with the board yet to hand over the apartments that was supposed to have been done in 2014.
Agitated by the delay, the distressed homebuyers on Monday staged a protest in front of the board’s office in Unit IV demanding immediate handing over of their houses in which they have invested their hard-earned money. Despite repeated attempts to contact OSHB, it was unavailable for comment on the status of the housing project.
The homebuyers said the OSHB had taken up the project in 2011 with a promise to hand over completed apartments by 2014. However, 10 years have passed but the board is yet to give them the flats.
“The delay in handing over the flats has led to a financial distress to many of us. We have invested our life’s savings in the project. Some of us have taken bank loans of which we are paying the EMIs while also paying for our rented accommodations,” said Susanta Panigrahi, an allottee. He said three of the allottees have died in the meantime waiting for their dream house.
“It is sad that the board is taking no concrete steps despite learning about the pathetic situation we are in,” Panigrahi said. The allottees said they have knocked on every door hoping for a positive result, but it has all been in vain so far. “This is not the first time that we are protesting, but our plea is falling on deaf ears,” said Jay Narayan Mishra, another allottee.
He said they were confident of getting their flats when they booked them in 2011 since it is a project executed by one of the reputed govt agencies of the state, but the end result is quite disappointing.
