Residences are not in first list

GHMC’s multi-disciplinary demolition and enforcement squads, evoked under Section 405 of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, on Monday began demolition drives across the city.

GHMC chief city planner S. Devender Reddy said, “At present we are not touching dwellings, residential apartments and houses where people are living as we need to work out rehabilitation. Our focus is on commercial structures and upcoming residential projects that are being constructed on nalas or abetting nalas on public land.”

He added that the GHMC need not serve notices and can directly demolish the structures.

Section 405 (a) reads: “Any wall, fence, rail, post, step, booth or other structure whether fixed or movable and whether a permanent or a temporary nature, or any fixture which shall be erected or set up in or over any street, any open channel, drain, well or tank contrary to the provisions of HMC act. Section 405 of the Act enables the Municipality to remove unauthorized structures where there is no dispute about the ownership of the Municipality in respect of that land or property.”

Hyderabad police commissioner S. Mahender Reddy has ordered zonal DCPs and ACPs to provide security to the demolition squads.

Mr Devender Reddy said that removing the encroachments and widening the nalas as per topographical maps would be done simultaneously.

Asked whether GHMC would continue the drive or whether it was a kneejerk reaction to the floods, Mr Reddy said, “This time we are determined. Overnight we can’t demolish all the structures. Our target is that by next monsoons we will clean up most structures on nalas, tanks and lake beds.”

Commercial structures and buildings being constructed on nalas are first priority. The drive will continue, a GHMC officer said.