Day after,beneficiaries visit their flats
Most are happy to escape the filth of the colonies they will be shifting from,but some complained about shortage of space
A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh handed over the keys of the one-room tenements constructed at Dhanas under the slum-rehabilitation scheme,the beneficiaries visited the site to see the houses allotted to them. Even those who have not yet been given the keys were satisfied just locating their flats and peeking into them through the glass windows. The tenements yielded a mixed reaction from the beneficiaries,with some complaining about the size of the houses,while others glad to get rid of the filth of the colonies where they were staying.
Chandigarh Housing Board is issuing allotment letters to the beneficiaries after verifying their documents. Till Friday,around 2,500 allotment letters had been issued. The keys to most of the beneficiaries are yet to be handed and for this,different dates have been allotted. Those who knew the numbers of their tenements could be seen looking for them on Sunday.
Geeta,a resident of Sector 52,visited the site with her family members. The family of five said that the amount of space available was less. “There was a need for a separate kitchen. Before moving in,we would get some work done to ensure that a kitchen is in place. Running water in the house is one facility that we did not have in Sector 52,which has been made available here. Also,there is an attached bathroom,which we did not have there,” she said.
Supata Devi,another beneficiary,stated that her family of seven people will barely be able to fit into the house. She said that in case guests come over,they would have no place to accommodate them. “We came yesterday,but were not able to see the house due to the restrictions. So we came here today. We are required to apply for electricity and water connections,after which we will be able to move in.”
One of the grouses of those who had come to see the flats was that the balconies could have been extended by a foot or so,in order to make space for keeping at least a chair,which is not possible to get done now.
Tribhuvan,a tailor who was till now residing in Colony Number 5,said that the conditions at the complex were far better than the colony. “It is a boon for us to shift out of the colony. With all the filth around,people used to fall ill so often. In the complex here,there are good roads,a clean environment and other basic amenities. I am looking forward to shifting here with my family,” he said.
A total of 8,448 tenements have been constructed in Dhanas with funds under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. Of these,around 8,000 are to be allotted to the beneficiaries. The remaining have been converted into schools,dispensaries,anganwaris and social welfare centres. The tenements had been constructed almost a year back,but had not been allotted. The infrastructure that was required was completed recently. Even now,apart from the areas where the PM was to visit,the other parts of the complex are still in need of sprucing up.
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