HYDERABAD: Hundreds of residents and environmental activists gathered outside the main gate of Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) National Park on Sunday, voicing strong opposition to the proposed infrastructure works under the H-CITI project. The protest, held under the banner of ‘Save KBR’, reflected growing unease over what many see as a threat to one of the city’s most vital green spaces.
KBR Park, often described as the last major green lung of Hyderabad, has long been at the centre of conservation efforts. For over a decade, citizens have pushed back against infrastructure expansion around the park, arguing that such projects have steadily eaten into its Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). What was once a 10 km buffer zone has, according to activists, been reduced in phases to as little as three metres — far below recommended norms. They further allege that the final ESZ notification issued in 2020 bypassed the legally mandated public hearing.
At Sunday’s protest, demonstrators raised slogans and flagged concerns about the environmental impact of the H-CITI project, which proposes multiple flyovers and underpasses along the park’s periphery. Many pointed to ongoing construction activity — including tree felling and excavation — despite a High Court stay on such work. Citizen representatives claimed that authorities themselves acknowledged in court that they were unaware of the full extent of the activity on the ground.
“In the most recent hearing before the Telangana High Court, both the learned Additional Solicitor General and the Advocate General submitted that they were not aware of the extent of the work being carried out on the ground. Since then, the felling of trees, excavation of pits, and visible progress on flyover-related infrastructure have taken place.
It is now expected that all relevant authorities will be fully apprised of the current situation and will inform the court. Hopefully, this will stop any further damage till the case is resolved,” said Kaajal Maheshwari, a citizen representative.
Sandeep Khurana, another representative associated with the ‘Save KBR’ campaign, questioned the apparent disregard for judicial orders and the lack of transparency. “The construction we are seeing and the felling of trees go directly against the High Court’s stay on tree-felling.
What’s even more worrying is the complete lack of transparency. There is no publicly available detailed project report (DPR), no design details, no clarity on approvals. This cannot continue,” he said.
Echoing these concerns, citizen representative Ananya Sangameshwar highlighted the rising number of trees marked for felling. “In the original plan, around 1,300 trees were to be cut. Now that number has jumped to 1,942.
What changed? Has there been a proper survey of SRDP? What is this new HCITI? And if compensatory planting is planned, where will it happen and how will survival be ensured? Hyderabad has already lost so much green cover. We cannot afford to lose more,” she said.