For many of the people who have spent decades living along the banks of the Musi River and are now facing destruction, losing their houses means being forced into desperation. Families are struggling with the instability of their means of subsistence despite assurances of 2BHK apartments as the state administration moves forward with its plans. Many inhabitants are still hesitant to go because they are afraid of losing their jobs, even though others have already been moved to neighboring government housing complexes.

The news that a family’s home is in the riverbed shocks them; they bought it twenty years ago. When Tahera Bibi from Vinayak Vidhi in Chaderghat learned about the destruction when they were in Odisha, she revealed how upset she was and how her husband had had a heart attack. She was forced to use a loan to return quickly to Hyderabad while he was receiving treatment in Bhubaneswar.

“We have received some support from this house, particularly following my husband’s initial cardiac arrest,” she said. “How can we manage stairs every day in our condition when we’re being forced into destitution?”

Some desperate homeowners have taken the 2BHK offer, but many renters are still there because they don’t want to lose their stability and sense of community. Tenant Mustari Begum said, “We’ve been here for more than 10 years. Our children’s education will suffer since the rent we pay there is more than twice as much as it is here.

Many homeowners are having terrible nights due to the imminent possibility of destruction. To plan, more than a hundred people gathered at a nearby school in Musa Nagar. They voiced doubts about the government’s ability to provide adequate homes for families of various sizes.

The pentagenarian Zaibunnisa thought back on her lengthy history in the region, saying, “I was born here and now have grandchildren.” Where are my kids going? Decades ago, I resisted similar efforts, and I shall do so once again.