HYDERABAD: Following orders from the Telangana High Court, and earlier from the Supreme Court, to restore pedestrian comfort and ensure obstruction-free public spaces, the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Saturday launched a major footpath encroachment removal drive across its limits, clearing 506 encroachments from 15 road stretches spanning 20.29 km.
The drive comes a few days after the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) undertook a similar exercise. Officials said that since the launch of special anti-encroachment drives in the first week of April, GHMC has removed 2,620 encroachments from footpaths and road margins across the city, including 283 encroachments — 79 permanent and 204 temporary structures — in a recent special operation conducted across its six zones.
Continuing the focus on reclaiming public spaces for pedestrians, the CMC carried out Saturday’s drive under the supervision of Deputy Municipal Commissioners and the Town Planning wing, in coordination with the police department. The operation targeted unauthorised food stalls, street vendors, temporary structures and other obstructions occupying public footpaths.
In the Serilingampally Zone, 197 encroachments were removed from five road stretches covering 10.8 km. The drive was conducted on roads including Gandipet X Road to Sai Baba Temple in Narsingi circle, the main road in Patancheru, BHEL Circle to RC Puram Nagulamma Temple in Ameenpur circle, Manjeera Pipeline Road in Miyapur circle and Telecom Nagar Road in Serilingampally circle.
In Kukatpally Zone, 105 encroachments were removed from three road stretches covering 3.16 km, including HUDA Techno Enclave Road in Madhapur circle, Mithra Hills Road in Allwyn Colony circle and KPHB Road No. 1 in Kukatpally circle.
In the Quthbullapur Zone, officials cleared 204 encroachments across seven road stretches totalling 15.53 km. The stretches included Narsapur Road in Chintal Circle, Suchitra Road in Jeedimetla Circle, Om Janda Circle to Rajiv Gruha Kalpa in Kompally Circle, Devender Nagar Road in Gajularamaram Circle, Nizampet Road, Mallampet Road in Dundigal Circle, and Medchal Railway Station Road.
CMC Commissioner G Srijana directed officials to continue the drive in a phased manner at other identified locations, with regular monitoring and strict action against recurring encroachments to create safer, more pedestrian-friendly public spaces across Cyberabad.