Hyderabad, January 09: Shamshabad, the area where the world’s fifth largest international airport is located, has now turned into a hub of illegal constructions. The area now has the highest unauthorized constructions outside the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits. Also, compounding the problem is the fact that the gram panchayat has no mechanism either to prevent unauthorised constructions or demolish them.
While there are over 1,000 unauthorised constructions, official figures say 723 unauthorised constructions, all above ground+three floors, have come up in the area. Moreover, there are several hundred structures of up to ground+two floors. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), which has control over the area and gives permission for G+3 and above buildings, had recommended enforcement action (demolition) for only 32 buildings to the Ranga Reddy district collector.
A couple of weeks ago, the Shamshabad gram panchayat officials attempted to demolish a five-storied building and another building. However, they could bulldoze only one building that too partially due to non- availability of manpower and equipment to carry out the demolition work.
With illegal constructions and unauthorized layouts going on unabated, the Shamshabad gram panchayat was directed to stop granting building permissions for G+2 floors.
The decision was taken by the special officer of the panchayat as some builders had been taking permissions for G+2 floors and putting up more floors.
The gram panchayat officials claim 723 identified unauthorized constructions, 427 illegal structures came up in areas like Madhuranagar, RB Nagar, Brindavan Colony, Adarshanagar and Rallaguda and most of them are commercial buildings. Structures had also come up in bio-conservation zone, where no big permanent buildings are permitted. “Many builders raised the unauthorized constructions during the 45-day Sakala Janula Samme in Telangana region.
Over 200 structures were identified alone in Madhuranagar as it is located in the prime commercial area and show cause notices were slapped on builders. We have also stopped issuing new permissions for up to G+2 buildings,” Shamshabad panchayat secretary B Vasanthi told TOI.
Sources said illegal constructions started after the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport became operational in 2008. The HMDA officials used to visit the areas till the erstwhile Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) existed. But after formation of HMDA and its jurisdiction expanded, the authority did not bother to check unauthorised constructions. Four years ago, the erstwhile Huda planning wing authorities submitted a list of 188 illegal buildings in Shamshabad area to the AP High Court, but no action was taken against them.
Meanwhile, 287 builders of unauthorised structures approached the HMDA for regularisation of their structures under the Building Penalisation Scheme (BPS), but their applications were kept pending as the structures are in bio-conservation zone (GO 111), where they cannot be permitted under any circumstances.
Sources said HMDA has not initiated any action against the structures as they do not have enforcement (demolition) powers, the panchayat officials claim they do not have any wing like town planning to deal with unauthorised structures and demolish them. Ranga Reddy district panchayat officer (DPO) ES Naik said instructions were given to the respective panchayats to prevent illegal buildings and layouts in the initial stage itself.
—Courtesy:TOI