Colony welfare associations gobbling up open spaces and parks in layouts across Hyderabad

People submitting their grievances at Prajavani held by Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA)
| Photo Credit: Handle @Comm_HYDRAA on X

Colony welfare associations are turning out to be the major encroachers of sites earmarked for parks and open spaces in the layouts across Hyderabad.

Several of the 61 complaints which were received by the Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) during its grievance redressal programme, Prajavani, pertained to such encroachments and illegal sale of sites meant as open spaces.

A complaint mentioned encroachment of 1,800 square yard plot in Sailakshmi Layout on the survey numbers 181 and 183 in the purview of Nizampet Municipal Corporation. The same complaint mentioned disappearance of parks and roads to the extent of five acres in survey numbers 153 and 154, and encroachment of 23 acre VNR Park site.

Plot owners from Diamond Hills Colony in Hydernagar of Kukatpally complained about erasure of nine acre layout with 70 residential plots. Though the High Court had ruled in the owners’ favour, the encroachers have not been evicted so far.

Local residents of Devarayamjal village came with a complaint that a compound wall was built blocking the 40 feet road between the national highway and ORR, which obstructed their passage.

One more instance of encroachment was from Tirumala Housing Colony in Anmagal of Hayatnagar, where the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s (GHMC) park site of 2,955 square yards was occupied by a few people who thwarted the attempts by the corporation to develop the park. The encroachers have not vacated the site despite High Court’s ruling, they complained.

A complaint was lodged about construction being taken up in the full tank level of Turka Cheruvu in Bachupally mandal of Medchal-Malkajgiri district, and also on government lands.