HYDERABAD: Expressing displeasure at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation for not taking stringent steps to remove encroachments on footpaths, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Monday ordered for appearance of GHMC deputy commissioner before the court on June 22.
The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice SV Bhatt was dealing with a petition by Laxminivas Agarwal, a resident of Mahboobgunj area of the city, seeking removal of illegal encroachments and unauthorized constructions on the road margins in Siddiambar Bazar and Mahboobgunj.
The bench asked the GHMC counsel about the steps taken by the corporation for removal of encroachments after an order was passed by this court on Dec 15 last year.
The court, in its interim order, asked the GHMC to first warn the shop owners for removing the articles they have placed on footpaths, despite such warning if anyone uses the pavement, then it would be open for the GHMC with the help of the police to remove those articles and to take possession.
In reply, the GHMC counsel said that the corporation had issued notices to the shop owners and it also confiscated the articles placed on pavements.
Not satisfied with the reply, the bench observed “issuance of notices and confiscating articles will not deter the encroachers. Let the GHMC identify the big shop owners who have occupied the footpaths and cancel their business licenses, then it will have impact on the small and petty vendors.”
The bench made it clear that the pavement is owned by the Corporation and it is meant for use of the pedestrians and not for encroachments.
While adjourning the case, the bench asked the deputy commissioner to appear before it on June 22.
