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Over 100 homeless families protest in Chennai for permanent houses
Over 100 homeless families staged a protest at Rasappa Street near Wall Tax Road, close to Chennai Central, on Friday, urging the state government to provide them permanent houses before the northeast…
Over 100 homeless families staged a protest at Rasappa Street near Wall Tax Road, close to Chennai Central, on Friday, urging the state government to provide them permanent houses before the northeast monsoon. The families said they had been living on pavements for nearly five generations and that repeated petitions seeking housing had failed. They said living on the roadside exposed them to the risk of road accidents, child kidnapping, and sexual harassment.
During the DMK government, some homeless families from the locality were allotted tenements under TNUHDB at Stanley, but nearly 120 families were left out, they alleged. Following a protest in February, officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation and TNUHDB jointly collected petitions and identity documents. Though officials assured steps would be taken, the families said there has been no progress. The protesters have also petitioned Housing Minister B Rajakumar and urged the chief minister to intervene.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Chennai's pavement dwellers represent a long-standing urban housing crisis. The northeast monsoon typically arrives in October, making the families' deadline urgent. The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board has struggled with a backlog: many eligible families remain on waiting lists even as new housing projects are announced. The key question is whether the state will expedite allotment under existing TNUHDB schemes or offer temporary shelter before the rains. Watch for a response from the housing minister or the chief minister's office in the coming weeks.
Source: newindianexpress.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
