Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) took action against illegal buildings in the Old City on Wednesday. This operation, led by the Town Planning department, resulted in the sealing of unauthorized structures, causing some tension in the area. To ensure peace, a significant police presence was maintained.
Illegal construction is a growing problem that the authorities are trying to tackle. The Old City has become a hotspot for such activities, with many structures being built without proper authorization.
The Hans India has consistently highlighted these illegal constructions. Reports indicate a surge in unauthorized buildings, with many local resident associations noting that illegal construction is common. They claim numerous buildings have been constructed with more floors than permitted. Some structures meant to have only G+2 floors now have G+5 or G+6 floors, including basements.
These unauthorized floors have led to several problems for local communities. Many neighborhoods now face issues like insufficient drinking water and frequent sewage overflows due to inadequate pipeline infrastructure.
On Wednesday, the GHMC’s Town Planning team focused on tackling illegal structures in areas like Misri Gunj and Fateh Darwaza. Two illegal structures were sealed in Misrigunj. Officials warned that more actions are planned to stop unauthorized constructions throughout the Old City.
In another incident, residents of the Khilwath area in Circle-9 lodged a complaint with the Telangana vigilance department, ACB, and GHMC Commissioner. They accused a land grabber of illegally occupying 235 sq-yd of government land, allegedly with the help of some officials. Mohammed Ahmed, a spokesperson for the TDP, claimed that officers in GHMC Circle No 9 were accepting bribes to allow this encroachment. The land in question, with Municipal No 20-4-368/2C2, was used to construct a G+1 building despite the GHMC Commissioner’s refusal to grant building permission.
Ahmed also alleged that some officers were misleading higher authorities and delaying action by keeping related files pending. These officials are also accused of issuing duplicate municipal door numbers for government properties.
