HC questions GHMC over regularisation, demolition of structures | Hyderabad News
Hyderabad: The Telangana high court on Friday expressed shock over the GHMC issuing building regularisation proceedings for unauthorised structures and then approaching HYDRAA and the Revenue Department to demolish them and protect the lands on which those structures stand.“Why cannot GHMC, being a statutory body with powers to demolish structures on govt lands and protect such lands, make efforts to protect the lands itself instead of approaching another govt agency?” asked a bench of Justice GM Mohiuddin.The judge made the remarks while hearing a batch of writ petitions challenging demolition orders issued by GHMC and HYDRAA against structures on different land parcels located in the Defence Housing Co-operative Society in Malkajgiri, Hyderabad.While individual petitioners challenged demolition notices issued for structures owned by them in the layout, the petitioner society alleged that the authorities had illegally taken up construction activities on 6,039 sq yds of land owned by it and were also using vacant society land for dumping garbage. It said that multiple representations to the authorities to stop the activity had gone unheard, forcing it to approach the court.According to the society, the layout, spread over 112.03 acres, is located close to the Malkajgiri Tahsildar’s office and the Malkajgiri Police Station. The society claimed it had been in possession of the land for over three decades through lawful proceedings, but the authorities, in violation of its rights, had taken up illegal activities on the premises, causing inconvenience to residents.The society’s counsel urged the court to direct the authorities not to interfere with its peaceful possession of the land and to restrain them from taking up any further activities there.Taking note of the submissions, the judge directed HYDRAA and GHMC to file counters, giving them a final opportunity, and adjourned the matter to Nov 19 for further hearing. An individual petitioner was also directed to file his reply to the counters submitted by GHMC and HYDRAA in connection with his land measuring 1,657.31 sq yds in the same society.
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