HUBBALLI: Around 80 newly constructed G+4 model houses at Vani Vilas Circle, Hubballi remain unallotted. The vacant premises are deteriorating, with miscreants damaging windows and ceilings. Local residents demand the houses be handed over to beneficiaries promptly.
According to sources, the existing houses of the beneficiaries are very close to the Unkal-Hosur bypass road. As the city is growing fast, the traffic movement is slow on this road.
MP Jagadish Shettar, during his tenure as the MLA from the Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency, had assured residents that they will be provided houses at other places if they vacate their houses to ensure development of the road.
Following this, a project for constructing houses for the beneficiaries was sanctioned at a cost of around Rs 14 crore. The Hubballi-Dharwad Smart City Project (HDSCL) constructed the houses at Hosur 1st Cross and named it ‘Vanivilas Vasati Sankirana’.
The work of the houses was completed in 2022, but they are still not allotted to the beneficiaries.
Hanumanth Belligatti, a beneficiary, told TOI that their elders have been living here for 50 to 60 years. “We are ready to move to new houses to ensure road development, but still the houses are not allotted,” he added. He said due to a lack of space in existing houses, they are deprived of toilets and bathrooms. “We were using nearby public toilets, but due to lack of maintenance, they were shut. Authorities should take steps to allot the houses soon,” he demanded.
Shivanna Hirekerur, former corporator, said the main road residents of Veeramaruti Nagar are facing a lot of problems. “Elected representatives had assured to provide houses to beneficiaries, but they are yet to be allotted. We have brought the issue to the notice of MLA Mahesh Tenginakai, and he has assured to allot the houses soon,” he added.
Vijay Kumar, HDMC executive engineer, said some beneficiaries are fighting among themselves for the houses. “The corporation conducted a survey and identified 65 beneficiaries. and it was decided to allot the houses within 20 days.
We are planning to demolish and hand over houses to beneficiaries in a single day. The process is under way. The houses will be allotted soon,: he assured.
