Haj House works at a snail’s pace

- The Chief Minister laid the foundation for the construction of Haj House in July, 2016
- Ground levelling works are going on for the past three months
- Muslims allege that the TDP govt is adopting step-motherly treatment towards Muslims

Vijayawada: The construction works of the Haj House and Shadi khana at Wynchpet near Vijayawada West Booking Railway station was not yet started though Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone five months ago.

After bifurcation of the State, the Haj pilgrims in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions left without Haj House.

The Haj House built in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh was located in Hyderabad, Telangana State. Pilgrims of Andhra and Rayalaseema regions are depending on Hyderabad Haj House as there is no Haj House either in Vijayawada or Rayalaseema districts.

In order to meet the needs of the Haj pilgrims in the State, the State government had promised to construct two Haj Houses in Vijayawada and Kurnool each. The Chief Minister after laying the foundation stone in July 2016 announced that the Haj House construction works would be completed in one year and he would personally attend the inauguration. But, there is no progress on the works even by the end of December.

Muslims in Vijayawada are expressing displeasure over apathy of the State government on the construction of the Haj House in the city. The proposed Haj House will be useful to a large number of Muslims in Coastal Andhra.

For the construction of Haj House in Vijayawada near Vijayawada West Railway station, Musafir Khana, 80 years old structure, was demolished in October 2016. Since then, the ground levelling works were going on at a snail’s pace.

Only one small proclainer is being used for breaking the rocks of the hills and for ground levelling works for the past three months. The G+3 building has been proposed at a cost of Rs 10.5 crore. Haj House and marriage hall will be constructed in the same building. The marriage hall can accommodate 1,000 people and 11 guest rooms will be constructed for the convenience of guests.

YSRCP west Assembly constituency in-charge Shaik Asif alleged that the TDP government has no commitment in the construction of the Haj House. He demanded that the government should expedite the construction works for the benefit of the Haj pilgrims of Coastal districts.

He alleged that the TDP government makes promises and ignores later.

Muslim Democratic Party State president Md Althaf Raza alleged that the TDP government adopting step-motherly treatment towards Muslims in the State. He demanded that the government take measures to speed up the construction works of Haj House and Shadi Khana. He lamented that there is no representation from Muslims in State Cabinet. He said the Telugu Desam Party is not committed to the uplift of Muslims in the State.

MD Ameen