Wayanad Township Houses to Be Completed by October 31, Minister T. Siddique Says Work on Schedule
Displaced families affected by the 2024 Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides are waiting for permanent homes. A total of 410 houses are being constructed in the Wayanad township, and the government has now set a target to complete all the houses by October 31.
Wayanad: Questions have once again been raised over the township being constructed for the rehabilitation of families affected by the devastating 2024 Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides in Keralam’s Wayanad. Affected people staged a protest on Thursday, alleging that construction work was progressing slowly and that they were facing continued delays in getting their homes.
However, Keralam Agriculture Minister and Kalpetta MLA T. Siddique rejected the allegations, saying that construction of the houses in the township was progressing according to schedule and that all the houses would be completed by October 31.
According to Siddique, 810 workers are currently working at the construction site. He said the target is to complete 110 houses by the end of September, while the remaining houses and the entire residential construction would be completed by October 31. He also said that rainfall had caused a minor delay in painting work at some locations, but steps had been taken to complete it within the scheduled timeline.
Devastating Tragedy Struck in 2024
A series of landslides in the Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas of Wayanad caused massive destruction on the morning of July 30, 2024. Debris from the hills entered several settlements, destroying homes, roads and other structures within a short period. The disaster claimed 298 lives and affected a large number of people. Several families lost both their homes and property.
Following the disaster, one of the biggest challenges before the state government was not only to provide immediate relief to the affected people but also to permanently resettle them in a safer location. Amid concerns over the safety of living again in the affected areas, the government planned a new rehabilitation township.
The Keralam government selected land at the Elstone Estate in Kalpetta for the project. The objective was not merely to construct new houses but to provide affected families with a well-planned residential area equipped with essential civic amenities.
How Many Families is the Township Being Built For?
Under the Wayanad township project, a total of 410 houses are planned to be constructed. In the first phase, 178 houses were completed, and a lottery for their allotment was also held in February 2026.
Priority was given to families whose houses and land were completely destroyed in the landslides.
The houses constructed in the first phase have an area of around 1,000 square feet. They have been designed in a way that allows them to be expanded in the future if required. Apart from houses, the township is also planned to have facilities such as roads, a health centre, anganwadi, market and community centre.
According to the government plan, the township is being developed not simply as a cluster of houses but as a well-planned and safe rehabilitation area for affected families. It is also intended to include facilities related to healthcare, education, community activities and everyday needs.
177 Families Have Moved Into Their New Homes in the First Phase
On Thursday, September 10, Minister T. Siddique said that the keys to all 178 houses in the first phase had been handed over to the families and that 177 families had already moved into their new homes. One house remains vacant due to a case pending in court.
However, concerns remain among affected families regarding the next phase of the township. According to the earlier schedule, 157 houses in the second phase were supposed to be handed over by September 30. But affected people claimed that, looking at the pace of construction, it would be difficult to complete the work within the deadline. They staged a protest on Thursday over the issue.
The protesters also questioned when the lottery for allotment of the houses would be held. They said they were currently living in rented accommodation and that the delay in getting permanent homes was adding to their difficulties.
810 Workers Engaged in Construction
Speaking to journalists after the protest, Siddique rejected questions over the pace of construction. He said 810 workers were currently working at the site.
According to him, a weekly schedule has been prepared for the construction work, and the progress is being monitored accordingly. The minister made it clear that the government has a plan to complete all the houses by October 31 and that there is no major backlog in the work.
He said the target is to complete 110 houses by the end of September. The remaining houses will then be completed, with the overall target being to finish construction of all the houses by October 31.
The minister also said that rainfall had affected painting work in some areas, but necessary steps were being taken to address the delay. He maintained that the project was progressing according to schedule.
Basic Infrastructure to Be Completed by December
Constructing houses is not the only objective of the township project. The government is also developing essential civic facilities for the families who will live there.
Siddique said the target is to complete all basic facilities in the township by December. Road construction, meanwhile, is planned to begin in early November after the rainy season ends.
This means that although the government has claimed that all houses will be completed by the end of October, the township’s entire infrastructure will not be fully ready at the same time. Road construction and some other civic works will continue even after that.
The government has already included facilities such as a health centre, anganwadi, public market and community centre in the project. According to the first-phase plan, the health centre is expected to provide facilities including a laboratory, pharmacy, testing and vaccination services.
When Will the Lottery for House Allotment Be Held?
One of the major demands of the affected families concerns the lottery process. They say that as the construction of the houses is nearing completion, the allotment process should also be expedited.
On this issue, Siddique said the lottery is not directly linked to the construction work.
According to him, once the houses are ready and in a condition to be handed over, the lottery can be conducted immediately. He described it as a technical formality.
However, he also acknowledged that the concerns of the affected families should not be ignored and said a decision on the date of the lottery could be taken after discussions.
Affected Families Still Waiting for Permanent Homes
After the Mundakkai-Chooralmala disaster, a large number of families had to move to other locations temporarily. In the initial period, the state government had made arrangements to provide assistance to affected families for shifting to rented accommodation.
According to government documents, eligible families were entitled to assistance of up to Rs 6,000 per month for staying in rented houses or with relatives.
The government had initially identified more than 250 rental houses and had also started a survey to understand the needs and preferences of affected families.
However, prolonged temporary rehabilitation can increase economic and social difficulties for families. Issues such as living in rented accommodation, children’s education, distance from workplaces and everyday expenses make permanent rehabilitation even more important.
This is why the construction of the township is not merely a government construction project for affected families. It is also an important part of the process of helping them return to normal life after the disaster.
Questions Over Delays Have Been Raised Before
The issue of delays in the township project has come up earlier as well. Even after the keys to 178 houses were handed over in March 2026, several families were initially unable to move into their new homes.
At the time, reports emerged that work related to compound walls, drainage, wiring, plumbing and tiling had not been completed in some houses.
The process of shifting families was subsequently taken forward. The government now says that 177 families have moved into their homes and only one house remains vacant due to a court-related case.
Against this backdrop, the concerns of affected families regarding the second and third phases can be understood. For them, the date on which the keys are handed over is not the only important issue. It is equally important that the houses are fully ready for occupation and that essential facilities are available around them.
What Will Happen to Families Left Out of the Beneficiary List?
Another important issue related to the township concerns people who have not been included in the current beneficiary list.
Minister Siddique said that the process of reviewing and finalising the list of such people has already begun. According to him, a team has visited the affected area, and discussions are also being held with the Keralam State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).
Officials from the panchayat administration and other concerned stakeholders are also being called to Thiruvananthapuram for discussions.
The government claims that necessary steps are being taken to finalise the list satisfactorily. The process is important because the benefits of the rehabilitation project need to reach all genuinely affected and eligible families.
All Eyes on October 31 Deadline
The Wayanad township project is now approaching an important deadline. The government had earlier said that 157 houses in the second phase would be ready by September 30. Agriculture Minister T. Siddique has now made it clear that 110 houses will be completed by the end of September and all the houses by October 31.
The government has also set a target of completing the township’s basic facilities by December and starting road construction in early November after the rainy season.
Therefore, the next one-and-a-half to two months will be crucial for the project. On one hand, the government faces the challenge of completing construction within the stated timeline. On the other, it will also need to assure affected families that they will not have to wait much longer for their permanent homes.