Indiramma homes sans electricity, water in Secunderabad

Secunderabad: The intention was good, implementation bad. This in a nutshell is the state of affairs at the Indiramma homes at Gandhi Nagar near Picket.

In 2014, this area was designated as a slum where the State government constructed Indiramma housing complex under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme. But after the construction, possession certificate was not issued, as a result, occupants did not receive electric connections. A majority of the residents have taken illegal connections.

There is no authorised electric connection and there is a single drinking water connection for the entire colony. The internal roads too are in bad condition. Out of the 387 residents only 30 percent of them have electric connections.

"Though the government has constructed the houses, but it did not provide power connections. Hence, the residents resorted to taking illegal connections. As the wire connections are not properly laid by the contractors, the illegal electric connections are taken through loosely hanging wires which also pose a threat to residents.

Several complaints have been represented to SCB officials, but no action has been initiated by them," said C Rajender, president of Gandhi Nagar. "There is a single water connection for the entire colony and also, water is supplied once in five days.

Even the drain is overflowing and also the internal roads are in very bad condition," said Ismail, a resident of Gandhi Nagar. "While the State government and SCB officials are neglecting this issue, the residents over here are suffering for the past five years," G Shravan Kumar, convener, Progressive Telangana Foundation.

"Due to lack of coordination between SCB and state government officials there is a delay. There are at least 30 residents who have illegally encroached the houses and made the problem more serious. We are looking for electricity, water and road issues matter," said Nalini Kiran, SCB member, ward 4.