Haryana Urban Development Authority to shift 259 families from Karnal slum to new flats

KARNAL: Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) is all set to shift residents of an illegal slum in Sector 12, Karnal, to newly constructed flats in Sector 14. Officials completed verification work of all the applicants on Monday and will soon hold a draw of lots to allot the flats.
Huda estate officer Ashwini Malik said, “In 2011, the residents’ welfare association of Sector 12 had filed a civil writ petition in court against the encroachment by Valmiki ‘basti’ in their area.The administration then had promised the residents to shift the slum to a new place under Ashiana scheme in three years. A boundary wall was drawn and 259 beneficiary families were identified. The step is being taken in compliance of the 2011 order of the Punjab and Haryana high court.”
The cost of construction of the 264 flats has come out to be around Rs 15.50 crore. The cost of each two-room flat would be Rs 6 lakh and an allottee can either pay through a monthly installment of Rs 500 or as per their convenience, said estate officer Malik.
However, the residents of the ‘basti’ are not willing to shift to the new flats, saying as they had been living in the locality for several decades even before Huda carved the sector. “We are ready to pay the price of land. We will be approaching the government to withdraw this decision of shifting us,” said Azad Singh, the leader of the ‘basti’ residents.
Malik, however, rubbished his claim, saying: “Most of the ‘basti’ residents are willing to shift to newly-built flats. The ‘basti’ in which they are living is in a bad condition, with no basic amenities. Only a few of the notorious people are creating issues.”
Meanwhile, Karnal Municipal Corporation has also started using unmanned aerial vehicle drone cameras to keep a check on encroachments and illegal construction.