Nearly nine years after their homes were demolished, families displaced from Sahakar Nagar Colony in Vadodara have once again approached the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), demanding immediate rehabilitation and payment of pending rental assistance.
The Sahakar Nagar Colony, located opposite Basis School in the Tandalja area, had around 1,428 houses before it was demolished by the VMC in 2017. Since then, hundreds of affected families have been waiting for permanent housing.
According to the displaced residents, the civic body had promised Rs 2,000 per month as rental assistance after the demolition. However, they allege that the amount has never been revised despite rising living costs and is often paid irregularly. They claim that 24 months’ rent is still pending.
Residents say it is no longer possible to rent a house for Rs 2,000 a month due to inflation, forcing many families to struggle financially or shift frequently to rented accommodation.
The beneficiaries also said that the rehabilitation housing project was assigned to Cube Construction, but they have still not received possession of their new homes. They have urged the civic body to clear the pending rental dues immediately, complete the housing project without further delay, and hand over the houses to the eligible beneficiaries as soon as possible.