Disbaled couple got assurance but no flat on ground floor yet

“In August, I was assured by officials of the Chandigarh Housing Board that our demand would be met. Even though I had become cynical as my repeated efforts over the last five years bore no fruit, it was the first time I was given an official assurance. However, things are back to square one now. I regularly visit the CHB office where I’m rarely able to meet any official. Once an official told me that I would be called soon. But nothing ever happened. My calls to the official are also not being answered,” said Naresh, a small-time vendor, who has to spend around Rs 150 every time he goes to the CHB office in Sector 9. This is because he cannot ride a cycle and has to hire an auto-rickshaw.

Naresh added that his wife continued to suffer due to her ongoing treatment, but getting down for her was an excruciatingly painful exercise. “We are at the mercy of the neighbours who help us, but I really wish that my wife gets down permanently so that she can see the world again. In the last five years, she has only gone downstairs to go to the hospital. She has become depressed sitting all the time in her tiny room,” he said.

Sources in the CHB said that Naresh was not the only disabled person seeking a ground-floor flat. “There are 25 to 30 other such applicants living in the Dhanas colony. However, the CEO is away for training due to which the process is stalled. As soon as he comes back, we’ll start calling the applicants before the committee to assess their applications,” said an official on the condition of anonymity.
CHB secretary Mandeep Kaur, when asked about the matter, hung up the phone. Later, when contacted again, she said that she did not remember the status of Naresh’s application.