Liquor shop demolished at Madannapet

Madannapet: GHMC town planning officials along with Saidabad police demolished the liquor shop running illegally on the land of a Hindu graveyard at Madannapet main road in Saidabad on Monday.

According to the GHMC officers, a complaint was received from Errakunta Hindu Smashanavatika Sankshema Samithi, Saidabad, that the land had been encroached upon and a liquor shop was being run under the name of 'SY Wine Shop' for about two months in a land attached to graveyard. After the complaint was received, on December 7, GHMC Charminar Zone issued a notice under Section 405 of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955 and instructed the shop owner to vacate the encroached land within 24 hours.

On Monday, the GHMC Town Planning department along with Saidabad Village Revenue Officer (VRO) and Saidabad police demolished the structure. GHMC Town Planning ACP M Srinivasa Rao said that the demolition was carried out in the presence of VRO and other officials of revenue department. P Archana, VRO, Saidabad, said that the land belonged to the graveyard and the wine shop was running illegally and there were no orders from court for any stay. As the land was encroached, it was demolished, she added.

The wine shop owner claimed that the land is not encroached, but local leaders pressurised the officials into acting against them. The jubilant residents demanded a similar action be taken against shops which were mushrooming in the area and became a big nuisance and anti-social elements were roaming in the areas.

Within a stretch of around 2 km from Santosh Nagar via Madannapet to Saidabad, there are around 10 wine shops including bars, undermining the norms. "There are a number of educational institutions and the entire area is also a residential. Interestingly 2-3 more shops were opened recently. How can the higher authorities issue permission for the liquor shops in such areas?" questioned Mohammed Ahmed, a resident.

He also said that due to these shops, starting from evening traffic was coming to a standstill and it was unsafe for students, particularly for females. Some of the shops were also running late during night hours, he added.