HYDERABAD: There are namely four bylanes that connect the Durga Nagar basti on Road number 5/7, Jubilee Hills ward to the main road where the metro rail construction is in full swing. Access to the main road for the basti residents have been blocked by the some of their affluent neighbours who find their presence in the locality,a nuisance. “The rich people living around us don’t want us to use the roads before their houses,” said Sai Kumar, an auto driver and resident of Durga Nagar.”They blocked the road before using flower pots, the GHMC asked them to remove it, they later dumped mud so that no autos or bikes can access the road,” he added.
One of the bungalows along the slum has stationed round the clock security guard, on the road behind their bungalow. “I guard the four cars here and the owner doesn’t want any of the slum people assembling or parking their autos behind their house,” said the security guard. The owner of the bungalow was unavailable for comment.“They are illegal residents squatting on private lands and they are a nuisance,” said BS Srinivas, treasurer, Jubilee Hills Residents Welfare Association. “They do open defecation and construct illegal sheds for cow rearing which is not properly maintained that poses a health hazard for the people living next to them,” he added. The slum residents and the 40-year-old Jublilee ills dhobi ghat workers are also blamed for the garbage choking the MCH park’s pond.
“I am aware of these issues and will look into them and take action,” was all Kaja Suryanarayana, GHMC corporator for Jubilee Hills had to say on the range of issues faced by the slum residents. A promise to set up drinking water supply connections to the basti also remains unfulfilled.
GHMC commissioner responds
GHMC commissioner B Janardhan Reddy, responding to queries, said that some illegal huts have cropped up in the open land in Durga Nagar behind Annapurna Studios. “In the long legal tussle that went up to the Supreme Court, it is learnt that the tutorship of Women Cooperative Society is established. Further, there is no immediate possibility of their eviction.
The hut dwellers deserve, 2BHK housing, but that is possible only when the land is acquired legally from the Society,” he said promising action. According to him, GHMC has decided to remove the mud barricade; and has proposed a storm water drain (SWD) to the hut dwellers. He said plans are being worked out with Revenue authorities in finalising 2BHK provision to the hut dwellers.