Illegal sheds surge, stall Musi river beautification drive

Hyderabad: Notwithstanding the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation’s growing worries on how to remove 12,000 illegal structures along the river course to beautify the Musi, several unauthorised structures, especially commercial sheds, have come up in Uppal Bhagat layout abutting Musi river.
Residents fear these illegal commercial sheds will spoil the beautification project and lead to haphazard development in the first land pooling project taken up by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority in about 700 acres at Uppal Bhagat near Nagole metro station.Locals said these unauthorised structures have sprung up in the past one year and complained that GHMC was turning a blind eye to the illegal structures.

GHMC demolished the sheds earlier but they were rebuilt after a few months and leased to individuals by the encroachers.
“The layout is a residential area, but some persons erected commercial sheds mainly on the 60 ft roads close to Musi river beds and near Uppal Shilparamam. Many of them are running marble shops, godowns, offices, workshops, and even a couple of function halls have come up illegally. GHMC usually does not give permission for commercial activity in a residential layout,” P Mahender, a resident of Uppal Bhagat layout, told TOI.
Some land owners claimed that they have given their land on rent for temporary sheds for a few years. But the town planning wing said permission is mandatory even for temporary structures and the owners will have to pay property tax for commercial usage. The govt had a tough time with the removal of illegal commercial sheds during the metro rail project on the main road and also near Nagole metro depot a few years ago. The Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd and GHMC managed to convince them to remove the sheds. Senior officials said if they are not removed now, it will be difficult to demolish them later.
Sources in GHMC said the issue of illegal structures in Uppal Bhagat layout has not come to their notice and they have not received any complaint from HMDA either.
“We will take action on these unauthorised structures soon,” a GHMC official of LB Nagar zone said. Meanwhile, residents are riled over commercial activity in Uppal Bhagat layout.