Hilla begins removal of homes amid sewerage project preparations

HILLA – The local government in Babil commenced the removal of close to a hundred homes in Hilla’s central Al-Akramain neighborhood on Wednesday. This action is part of the preparations for the Hilla Sewerage Project and is aimed at reopening blocked streets. The initiative was met with resistance from some homeowners, who claimed they lacked adequate notice of the demolition.

District Commissioner of Hilla, Zaman Ali, stated to 964media that the affected families had been notified about the encroachment removal plan. “There will be no retreat from removing obstructions that hinder city projects, especially those along the routes of ongoing works.

“This effort will open up one of the main arteries connecting to Street 80 and will aid the Hilla Sewerage Project. Our data indicates that the homes set for demolition are owned by individuals who are financially capable of renting and living comfortably elsewhere,” Ali explained.

Contrary to the government’s position, Murtada Hassan, a resident of the targeted neighborhood, claimed the official statement was an unjust portrayal of their situation. “We are not the well-off homeowners the government is depicting us to be.

“We are poor families with nowhere else to go, and while we were told about the demolition, no timeframe or alternative housing was offered. This will leave many of us without a roof over our heads,” Hassan told 964media.

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