In a significant setback to urban rehabilitation efforts in Karnataka, dozens of houses constructed under the Smart City initiative in Hubballi remain unoccupied and undelivered, years after their completion. The homes, built specifically for families displaced by a major road expansion project, are caught in a web of administrative delays and incomplete basic amenities, leaving beneficiaries in prolonged uncertainty.
Project Timeline and Persistent Delays
The roots of this issue trace back to 2018 when the project was initially planned. Construction work began in 2019 and was reportedly completed by 2022. A total of 80 houses across four blocks were built at the Kallur layout. The formal allotment of 47 houses in the first phase was conducted by MLA Mahesh Tenginkai in September of last year, with an initial assurance that possession would be granted during the Dasara festival period.
However, that deadline came and went. Officials from the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) have cited a series of pending works as the cause for the handover stalemate. The primary hurdle has been the installation of electricity meters, a process that reportedly cost around Rs 4 lakhs and caused significant delays. Additionally, unresolved sanitation issues and a general lack of basic facilities at the site have prevented the municipal corporation from transferring the keys to the waiting families.
Human Cost and Deteriorating Assets
The delay is not just a bureaucratic logjam; it has a profound human impact. Parvathi K, one of the allotted beneficiaries, expressed her frustration, stating they are ready to move in but have been waiting for over three months since allocation. She highlighted her family's long connection to the area, spanning about 60 years, and their current work as labourers. Another beneficiary, who chose to remain anonymous, pointed out the irony of being allotted homes that are essentially uninhabitable due to the absence of fundamental amenities.
Compounding the problem is the physical deterioration of the newly built assets. With the buildings sitting vacant, miscreants have broken windows, and the structures are beginning to show signs of decay. The location of the houses, near the busy Unkal-Hosur bypass road, has seen a doubling of traffic movement with the city's growth. The situation worsened after the establishment of the NWKRTC Hosur bus terminal, further slowing traffic and potentially affecting the future residents' quality of life.
Official Response and Future Promises
Rudresh Gali, the HDMC commissioner, has acknowledged the delays. He confirmed that the electrical meter installation work has recently been completed, which was a major bottleneck. He assured that the houses will be handed over to the beneficiaries soon. Former corporator Shivanna Hirekerur, however, offers a more critical perspective, noting that the HDMC has failed to provide homes to those who lost their houses for the development of the Unkal-Hosur bypass road. He emphasized that the project, planned in 2018, remains incomplete while the constructed buildings age.
The situation underscores a recurring challenge in urban development projects: the gap between physical construction and the provision of essential services that make dwellings livable. For the displaced families of Hubballi's Vani Vilas Circle Road expansion, the wait for a proper home under the Smart City project continues, with their hopes now pinned on the municipal corporation's latest assurances.
