Politicians hurdle to demolitions on nalas in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Opposition leaders have stalled the demolition of nala encroachments on the pretext that GHMC has no details like maps and nala storage capacity.

The vote bank is an important aspect of these protests despite it being agreed to in principle by all parties to raze encroachments post the mini-floods in September.

BJP legislators in the city had taken up protests to stop GHMC from demolishing encroachments. Uppal BJP MLA N.V.S.S. Prabhakar and BJP state president Dr K. Laxman held rallies for the same.

On the other hand, the GHMC is saving the big guns by calling for re-surveys if the encroachments are by politicos and big builders.

Apart from BJP leaders, MIM Karwan MLA Kausar Mohiuddin stalled the demolition of a multi-storey building at Gudimalkapur and Congress workers did a few dharnas in the Secunderabad Cantonment area.

Mr Prabhakar said, “The next action will be taken up in the state Assembly. The development and expansion of nalas are being done to benefit contractors. We support the government’s decision in razing out encroachers but the GHMC should have accurate details like maps and capacity of the nalas to demolish the structures.” He alleged that the corporation did not have data on encroachments but was still going ahead with the demolitions.

“The GHMC is stating there is a 100-foot nala at Pedda cheruvu, which is not possible. There are no details on storage capacity of the lake too. On the one side government issues GO 58, approves regularisation of illegal structures, and on the other side, it carries out demolitions,” he said.

An official from the town planning wing of GHMC said, “The corporation has the required maps, width and existing width range of every nala, but not on encroachments.

“It is incorrect to say that GHMC is going ahead without any details; the Opposition party leaders did approach GHMC and they were shown the evidence of the nalas having been encroached.” He said the survey of encroachments was going on, but it had slowed down because most of the zonal commissioners were busy with Election Commission duty.

“There is no deadline for it. Officials are still identifying encroachments. The next step will be decided by the government; notices will be issued and post rehabilitation, the structures will be demolished,” he said.