GHMC corporators behind illegal structures racket in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: GHMC corporators, who get a salary of Rs 6,000 per month, make at least Rs 5 crore by the end of their five-year tenure. According to a former standing counsel of GHMC, the city corporators, irrespective of the party they belong to, are part of the illegal structures racket in the city.

“It is the duty of building inspectors to inspect and identify illegal structures and bring them down, which they seldom do. In a parallel set up, corporators appoint private agents who identify the upcoming structures. They (the corporators) fix two different rates — for those with permission and those without permission — and collect “protection money” from those building unauthorised structures. Whenever Town Planning officials try to demolish the structures, they prevent them. They earn at least '5 crore during their tenure,” said the former standing counsel.

MLAs, too, put pressure on officials, indirectly encouraging illegal constructions. On Monday, a TRS corporator from Moosapet was embroiled in a controversy after he tried to stop demolition of an extra floor on an unauthorised building.

Shamelessly the corporator defended his move stating, “I went in support of a poor man constructing an extra floor on his ground-plus-two building in a posh locality.”

No case against politicians
GHMC corporators, who get a salary of Rs 6,000 per month, make at least Rs 5 crore by the end of their five-year tenure.  Corporator T. Shravan Kumar said, “Municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao has ordered the demolition of constructions occupying nalas and tanks.

But the officials are demolishing houses in residential localities. I am a corporator of Moosapet, this incident happened at Balajinagar area. Mr Srinivas, who runs Manasa Diagnostic Centre, came to me and asked for help.

He is a poor man. His house is not anywhere near a nala. He has permission for G-plus-two on his 110 square yard land. He had constructed an extra third floor in Anjayenagar Nagar layout done by Irrigation employees, which municipal officials are demolishing.”

He added, “If it is illegal they should serve a notice and pull it down. We are for the government demolishing structures on nalas and tank beds but not of poor people.” “I haven’t taken any money. Moosapet is mostly a slum area. I get only Rs 6,000 per month as salary,” he further said.

Interestingly Town Planning officials are not filing any cases against politicians using “criminal force” against demolition and removal of encroachments. GHMC chief city planner Mr S. Devender Reddy meanwhile said, “There is not much political interference in the Town Planning department.”