The Telangana High Court has issued strict directions to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to crack down on unauthorised constructions across the city and prevent misuse of self-certification provisions for small plots. The court has mandated that all construction sites must prominently display their sanctioned building permissions for public verification. The directions came while hearing a petition related to an allegedly illegal construction in Siddiamber Bazaar area of Hyderabad.
Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, who heard the case, ordered GHMC officials including the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, and Assistant Commissioners to ensure that approved building plans are visibly displayed at every construction site. The court further directed authorities to temporarily halt construction activities at sites where required permissions are not displayed. This measure is aimed at making approval details accessible for verification by authorities and concerned citizens.
The High Court specifically ordered inspections of ongoing construction projects in Siddiamber Bazaar and Begum Bazaar to verify whether the buildings have valid permissions. Officials have been directed to seal a G+6 building being constructed on a 114.14-square-yard plot in Siddiamber Bazaar and submit a detailed report to the court within four weeks. The court’s intervention came after resident Raj Kumar filed a petition challenging the authorities’ failure to consider his application dated July 30 seeking regularisation of the construction.
The court rejected the plea to regularise the six-storey construction, observing that regularisation under Sections 455 and 455AA of the GHMC Act is only possible when construction meets applicable legal requirements. The court pointed out that when regulations permit only two floors on a particular plot, there is no provision to regularise a six-storey structure. The petitioner had applied for permission for only 43.29 square metres, while applications for remaining portions of about 16.7 square metres each were made in names of previous owners.
The court noted that all applications were rejected, yet construction continued unabated. This indicated that the law was being treated with disregard, the court observed. The continued construction despite rejection of applications raised serious concerns about enforcement of building regulations in the city. The High Court emphasised that such violations undermine the regulatory framework designed to ensure planned urban development.
The court also addressed provisions governing construction on plots measuring up to 75 square yards. While such constructions do not require regular building permission and can proceed through self-certification, the court directed GHMC officials to ensure this mechanism is not misused to facilitate unauthorised construction. The directions are aimed at strengthening oversight of construction activity in Hyderabad and ensuring that builders comply with sanctioned plans and applicable building regulations.
