Hyderabad: HMDA continues demolition drive against illegal units

Rajendranagar: A day after The Hans India reported that the revenue officials had razed theillegal constructions in FTL area in Jalpally municipality without machines, the enforcement team of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) rolled out machines on Thursday to pull down unauthorised structures in the municipality for the first time.

Amid police presence, the enforcement team led by Assistant Planning Officer D Damodar Naik carried out demolition works in Pahadi Shareef area in Ward No 12 where the slabs of a G+5-storey building were demolished. Later, they sealed five illegal factories in Ward No 16 for running the business sans proper permission.

The officials then pulled down a structure in Errakunta area. Interestingly, according to sources, the local municipality doesn't have the authority to grant permission to the structures more than G+2 floors and beyond 600 sq yards in area. "Only HMDA is the competent authority to grant the same. After finding that no permission has been granted to structures above

G+2 and beyond 600 sq yards, the HMDA officials finally demolished the unauthorised structures in Jalpally Municipality on Thursday," a HMDA official informed.

However, the people termed the HMDA move as a mere eye wash. "Though the HMDA officials are claiming that they are going a whole hog against the unauthorised structures in the city and outskirts, they are, however, turning a blind eye towards encroachments over lakes identified by the authority itself. When the HMDA officials pulled down roadside structure in Errakunta area, they conveniently forgot that the inside area falls under the Errakunta Cheruvu. Instead of razing the fully-raised structures, levying penalties will help generate revenue for the government," argued Samad Bin Siddiq, a senior Congress leader.