With the Telangana government backing the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)’s drive to de-clog drains, over 180 illegal structures were either completely or partially razed to the ground in different areas on Tuesday.
GHMC commissioner B Janardhana Reddy is personally overseeing the demolition drive even as legal and political hurdles cropped up even before the sledgehammer hit the encroachments in several places. “We have clear instructions not to differentiate...we are just going by the book, the drive will continue till the storm drains are cleared” GHMC deputy commissioner Mamta said. On Tuesday, several structures built in the middle of the drains in Gachibowli, Balanagar, Allamthota Bavi, Banjaralake, Qutubullapur, Subhashnagar, Karman Ghat and Rajendranagar were razed by 24 teams despite the locals’ objection. In several places, house owners tried to stop the GHMC staff from demolishing the structures by producing their documents.
On the other hand, the residents of areas which were under deluge due to incessant rain heaved a sigh of relief. Residents of Nizampet, Qutubullapur, and Begumpet continued to suffer with no one to drain water from their overflowing cellars.
Published 27 September 2016, 19:39 IST