HYDERABAD: Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy of the Telangana High Court, while hearing a contempt petition filed by one S Gopal, directed the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) commissioner and other officials to submit a comprehensive report on constructions on certain lands in Hyderabad.
The petition alleged rampant illegal constructions despite a court order mandating the status quo.
The court set a deadline of July 2 for submission of the report and warned that commissioners of both GHMC and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) would have to appear in person if they failed to comply.
Justice Bhaskar Reddy said the report must include data and visual documentation — photos and videos — on the total number of constructions, those with and without valid permissions, deviations from approved plans and actions taken under the GHMC Act. It must also detail requests for disconnection of utilities to illegal structures and any disciplinary action against negligent officers.
Gopal alleged that despite the high court’s interim order on March 14, 2023, directing GHMC to maintain the status quo and document the land’s condition, the corporation failed to act. Illegal constructions allegedly continued, with many completed and others underway, the petitioner alleged.
Senior counsel for the petitioner claimed the activity was carried out in collusion with civic officials. GHMC’s standing counsel responded that 14 buildings had been seized and further action was underway.
However, Justice Reddy observed that photographs submitted during both the writ petition and contempt proceedings confirmed continued illegal constructions. Expressing displeasure at the civic body’s weak enforcement, he noted that in Hyderabad and Secunderabad, it had become routine for authorities to allow illegal constructions and later attempt to regularise them through government policies.
Calling the trend unacceptable, he urged strict corrective action. The matter was adjourned to July 2, with the commissioners on notice for possible personal appearance if the court’s directions are not followed.