Pedda Bidda, a village located in Anathagiri Mandal, Visakhapatnam District was hit by Cyclone HudHud on 12th October, 2014. The cyclone caused extensive damage to the city of Visakhapatnam and the neighbouring districts of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam of Andhra Pradesh. It claimed 61 lives, damaged nearly 1.50 lakh houses and caused an estimated damage of Rs. 21,908 crores.

Habitat rebuilt the lives of families in Pedda Bidda village. The ground breaking for the project was held in April 2015. On February 4, 2016 a ‘Key Handover Ceremony’ was held in the HSBC office, Visakhapatnam that was presided over by Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister presented four families with the keys to their new homes.

Features of HudHud Reconstruction Program, Pedda Bidda

• • Construction of 85 disaster resilient homes and sanitation units
  • Access to safe drinking water
  • Solar energy units and bio mass stoves for all 85 families
  • Construction of multipurpose community center
  • Community Based Disaster Response Management Training on disaster risk mitigation for 85 families
  • Behaviour Change Communication sessions on hygienic sanitation practices to 85 families

This is the first time that the families in Pedda Bidda village (Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh) will have disaster resilient homes and access to household sanitation facilities in Pedda Bidda. Subsequent to the training on health and hygiene, a committee has been formed to keep Pedda Bedda clean. The youth of the village has pledged to keep Pedda Bidda Open Defecation Free.

"This is beyond my imagination. My forefathers lived in the most desolate conditions and suffered utmost poverty. I am unable to put in words my feelings of gratitude to Habitat people for this wonderful new home (equipped) with every facility." — Janni Appanna.