The Telangana government has imposed limits on the slab area that can be constructed under the Indiramma Indlu housing scheme, aiming to prevent cost escalation and ensure beneficiaries complete their houses without falling into debt.

In an order issued on Saturday, the government said the decision was taken following a proposal from the Telangana Housing Corporation Limited (TGHCL), which observed that many beneficiaries were extending reinforced cement concrete (RCC) slabs well beyond the approved building plans.

According to the order, beneficiaries had been extending slab projections by between three and eight feet, substantially increasing construction costs. This was forcing many families to borrow from private lenders or abandon construction midway due to financial constraints, defeating the objective of providing affordable housing to shelterless poor families. Under the revised guidelines, the government has permitted slab extensions of up to three feet on the front side and one foot on each of the remaining three sides. As a result, the slab area for a 600-square-foot plinth cannot exceed 750 square feet, while a 400-square-foot plinth will be limited to a maximum slab area of 500 square feet.

The new guidelines will apply prospectively to beneficiaries whose houses are at the roof level, basement level, grounding stage or have not yet been grounded.