Hyderabad citizens cry foul as trucks dump debris at Khajaguda

On Thursday, a group of citizens stopped a tractor which came to dump debris in the rock formation areas, in a bid to possibly level the area.
A viral video shows drilling of rocks at Khajaguda in Hyderabad
A viral video shows drilling of rocks at Khajaguda in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: With no government body coming forward to ensure the upkeep of the Khajaguda rock formations despite a 2019 High Court order asking for the same, the destruction of the natural contours of this space continues. On Thursday, a group of citizens stopped a tractor which came to dump debris in the rock formation areas, in a bid to possibly level the area.

“The truck is entering through the routine entrance and dumping it near the temple site. When we questioned the driver, he said his contractor had asked for the same to be done and he had no further information,” said Ritwik Reddy, a citizen who is part of the Save Khajaguda Rocks campaign.

Citizens suspect that the levelling, by dumping sand and soil up to four feet thereby covering half the rock is being down to create either a public road or a pathway to the local temple located inside the rock formation area.

“HMDA is the body responsible for the site as per the court order. However, they aren’t doing anything. Unless Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authorities and district officials do not get a proper survey done on the extent of land which is in the protected site, this issue will persist,” added Ritwik.

MRO lodges police complaint

The Gandipet MRO, under whose jurisdiction this HMDA land falls, stated that a police complaint has been filed against three vehicles that were found dumping construction waste in the area on Wednesday. “Based on our complaint, three vehicles with unidentified persons were booked in an FIR at Narsingi police station,” said A Rajashekhar, MRO Gandipet.

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