AHMEDABAD: The country’s second Light House Project (LHP) in Rajkot is marred by complaints of corruption and substandard construction.Constructed under the PM Awas Yojna, the project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself two years ago.The first LHP is located in Chennai.Built at a staggering cost of Rs 118 crores, the Rajkot project comprises 1,144 flats, touted to be constructed using advanced German technology. However, instead of fulfilling its promise, the only such project in Gujarat has left locals grappling with persistent issues like moisture, cracks, crumbling walls, and overflowing drains. Despite repeated appeals to the administration, no action has been taken, prompting residents to threaten protests to demand accountability.The Light House Project in Rajkot comprises 1,144 houses across 11 towers of 13 floors, each tower spread over 6,741.66 sq.m. With eight flats per floor. Each house costs Rs 10.39 lakh, funded by Rs 5.50 lakh from the Central Government, Rs 1.50 lakh from the State Government, and Rs 3.39 lakh paid by beneficiaries. The flats were handed over to the deserving people two years ago by the Prime Minister himself.However, the project’s promises now appear overshadowed by allegations and concerns from its residents.“There are a total of 1,144 flats in the Light House project in Rajkot, and most of them have severe dampness issues,” said Jaideep Bhatt, a resident of the project, during a media interaction. “”In just two years, cracks have started appearing on the walls, crusts are peeling off, and drains are overflowing. Some electric points don’t even have holders, and there are no shades on the windows. These problems have made life extremely difficult for us.”Bhatt further alleged discrepancies between what was promised and what was delivered. “As per the brochure, we were supposed to get lights, fans, and safety doors, but none of these have been provided. The sample flats shown to us were completely different from the ones handed over to the beneficiaries,” he claimed.
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