Group Home set to open, Rs 20L security deposit a drag

In a relief for families of adults with mental illness, the UT Administration will soon open doors of the Group Home in Sector 31. Built at a cost of Rs 35 crore, the facility will be available for individuals with intellectual disabilities and mental illness.

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Since the completion of its construction in July last year, the parents of eligible applicants have been raising concerns over exorbitant security charges with the highest amount going up to Rs 40 lakh.

Though after the intervention of Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, the Administration had lowered the security deposit at Rs 20 lakh for all room categories (upfront charges for five years), the parents are still finding it on the higher side.

Palika Arora, Director, Social Welfare, said, “The EWS category will not be required to pay any security deposit, but they will have to pay monthly rental of the room.” The Administration said the date of inauguration of the facility would be announced after getting certain approvals. Officials confirmed the opening could be on any day between January-end and February.

Most parents are still worried about the security deposit and some other issues, including monthly rent for EWS patients and day care-cum-vocational activities. To raise their concerns, persons with disabilities and their families had staged a silent protest near the facility in November last year.

They even drew a contrast between security charges of the facility with the UT-run Senior Citizen’s Home in Sector 43 where the security deposit is just Rs 25,000.

This two-storey building will have accommodation for 90 adults with mental disabilities. There are landscaped gardens, two big courtyards and a therapeutic campus on the premises to provide state-of-the-art care for such patients.

The facility, a result of persistent efforts of families of those affected, offers various amenities. The building features suites (Rs 35,000 per month), single rooms (Rs 25,000 per month) and twin-sharing rooms (Rs 16,000 per month). To ensure affordability, 25 per cent of the seats (17) are reserved for EWS patients, who will pay Rs 8,000 (50 per cent of the twin-sharing room rent).