“I want a home. It should have a toilet with a door, at least one room spacious enough to stretch my legs and sleep, and a kitchen of our own,” said Dhanashree, a student of Class IX, when I visited Kannappar Thidal two years ago. This was not just her dream, but that of hundreds of families living there, who were evicted from the streets near Ripon Building over two decades ago. Today, all 114 families in Kannappar Thidal have new homes they can call their own — with toilets and kitchens, no less.
Over 22 years of struggle tells a story of resilience. I first learnt about the issues faced by residents of Kannappar Thidal in September 2022. I still remember the day of my first visit and how I came back with a heavy heart. Since then, we have consistently tracked and reported the developments, with a year-rounder in 2023.
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A year-long tug-of-war over beneficiary contribution
Since 2023, there has been a tug-of-war between the 114 families and the State government over the beneficiary contribution of Rs 4.27 lakh. When the government brought in banks to loan the amount to residents, they opposed the move. They staged protests and demanded free housing, as the cost was unaffordable.
Following the protest, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) passed a council resolution to bear one-third of the beneficiary contribution of Rs 2.85 lakhs per family. The State government said each family could pay the remaining Rs 1.42 lakhs in instalments of Rs 592/month for 20 years, under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission Scheme.
At an event presided over by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, the 114 families were handed over allocation orders for their new homes in TNUHDB tenements at Moolakothalam on September 23. They moved in the first week of October.
Read more: Photo story: Life in single-room homes in Chennai
Through photos: The life of Kannappar Thidal residents
Here is a look at how their lives have changed.
The small yet comfortable 400 sq ft homes radiate cheerfulness. As we enter some of these homes, we notice that the families have decorated every room with utmost care.
In the older single-room homes, the women would sleep inside while the men had to sleep outside. “I have two daughters. As they grew up, all I wanted was for them to have a safe space to sleep. As soon as we got the new homes, we bought a new wooden cot and mattress for our daughters. Now, they have a space for all their belongings,” Jayanthi adds.
“The women had no other option but to shower in a corner of the single-room homes once the men left for work. Here, our daughters can take leisurely baths in the bathrooms with doors,” adds Jayanthi.
Some issues remain — in a few homes, the glass windowpanes are broken and the ceilings leak. The building lift is dysfunctional, so residents have to carry their belongings over eight floors by staircase. Selvam, a resident says they have raised complaints with the officials and contractors and hope to have the problems resolved soon. But for now and forever, this is their happy space.