Land sharks eye civic body park in Kukatpally

Hyderabad: A part of a GHMC park at Kukatpally, which is located inside the Ramky Pearl Layout, has been claimed as private property by the erstwhile landlords.

Ramky Pearl Layout with about 130 villas and 30 open plots is situated in Kukatpally and falls under Circle 24 of GHMC between two lakes.

In the layout approved in 2010, 3,593 sq metres were earmarked for the park on the eastern side and 3,449.38 sq metres on the western side. 

While the eastern side park was developed, the western side park was not developed by the developers.

Residents pointed out that the erstwhile landlords started claiming the western side park as their private land. So that they were not deprived of the required open area and the non-compliance of it, the association of the owners of villas filed a case with the Lokayukta.

The Ramky Pearl Owners Welfare Association said, “The Lokayukta in its interim order directed GHMC to put up a board that the land belongs to the GHMC in order to protect it. 

“The erstwhile landlords filed a revised layout, removing the western side park and showing the eastern side FTL area again in the layout. This revision was rejected by the GHMC.”

The erstwhile landlords filed a second revision which was also rejected by the civic body. Despite orders from the GHMC commissioner, declaring the area as a park, the civic body did not put up a fence around the park in June 2018. Residents alleged involvement of influential people in halting park development.

Residents had pooled in money to develop the park, but the henchmen allegedly stalled the activity on Monday.

The association said, “We tried to clean the park area in order to take care of the severe snake menace and also to take up plantation of saplings obtained from the government through Haritha Haram program on Monday. 

“The JCBs returned as the henchmen of the erstwhile landlords threatened us and used abusive language.”

Residents and the association sought police protection to plant trees on Sunday. 

However, they claimed that the police denied them protection saying that the request for such protection should be made by the GHMC.

Meanwhile, the civic body officials have taken cognisance of the issue and have requested intervention of the commissioner again.