In Rangareddy, there has been a crackdown on unauthorized structures near a lake in the Neknampur area, which has caused concern among builders in the Manikonda municipality. They are worried about the actions of Irrigation and Revenue officials who are no longer influenced by political power.
Manikonda is a rapidly growing municipality in the southern part of the city, known for encroachments on lakes, government lands, and parks, as well as violations of town planning regulations. Despite being home to many families working in multinational and IT companies, the municipality has faced issues with unauthorized construction.
Since the change in government, officials in the Revenue and Irrigation departments have been taking action against encroachments and unauthorized structures on government lands and water bodies in Ranga Reddy district. Recently, several structures were demolished in Neknampur village for being too close to the lake buffer zone.
Local councillor Padma Rao explained that permissions were granted for some structures in 2021 by the Manikonda municipality, but they were demolished on Thursday. He also mentioned the corruption within the Town Planning wing, with officials granting permissions without proper documentation.
Residents of Manikonda have expressed dissatisfaction with the authorities’ actions, believing that they are merely trying to protect themselves. They point to a culture of unauthorized construction and corruption within the municipal system that has eroded public trust.