Struggling in a shack, officials and ministers living in palaces... this line perfectly describes the reality of the 'Aasra Housing Scheme' in Kanpur's Ghatampur. Although 840 flats have been completed at a cost of 350 million rupees, they have been falling into disrepair for the last six years due to the absence of a 'finishing fund' of just 15 million rupees. As a result, those poor families who were promised the dream of a solid roof are still forced to live in shanties, even though flats allocated in their names have turned into ruins.
Our investigation shows that the construction site now looks like a jungle. Tall weeds have grown all around. Tiles, sanitary fittings, water tanks, and pipes, meant for the flats, are rotting out in the open. Items that were meant to adorn homes are now converting into junk. Electric poles are standing, but the wires are missing. There are water tanks, but no water in the taps. This is the most appalling example of the wastage of taxpayers' money.
As a consequence, the poor families who were shown the dream of a solid roof are still compelled to reside in shanties, with their allocated flats reduced to ruins. The sluggishness of the system has forced 840 poor families to live an endless wait and a humiliating life instead of a secured home.
Source: aajtak
Cost of 350 Million, Hindrance of 15 Million
The construction of these flats started in 2013 under the District Urban Development Authority (DUDA). The Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam erected the building structure but left the roads, electrical connections, water fittings, and final finishing incomplete. Shockingly, while crores have been spent, a mere 15 million not being released has left the entire project suspended. That lack of coordination between the Urban Development Ministry and local administration is at the expense of impoverished people who dreamed of homes 13 years ago.
Silence of Authorities, Agony of the Poor
Hundreds like Puttan continue to spend their days in shanties. They claim that flats have been allotted, yet there's no electricity, no water, nor a path to get there. Divyang Taj Mohammed says staying in the colony is inevitable, but there are absolutely no facilities. Waterlogging exists, and there are no roads, making daily life even tougher for a person with disabilities.
Local residents report that, despite multiple applications, nothing has changed. Elderly individuals, like Buddhu, who have been waiting for 13 years to move from shacks to solid homes, find their hope fading. Women, too, face severe distress; during monsoons, conditions worsen with darkness, flooding, and always a scarcity of water and electricity.
Source: aajtak
Last Year's DM Inspection
Surprisingly, in July 2025, Kanpur's District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh conducted a flamboyant inspection and assured quick resolution, but ground conditions remain unchanged. The DUDA Project Officer states that repeated reminders have been sent for funds, yet approval from higher governance is pending.
The pressing question now is directed at Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma: When will the approval for the crucial 15 million rupees necessary for the roofs over 840 poor homes be granted? Responsibility for the re-purchase of goods spoiled due to neglect remains unanswered, and will the apathy of the government system forever burden the impoverished, or will anyone finally challenge this chaos?
