HYDERABAD: Chitrapuri Colony, Telugu cine workers’ co-operative housing society and a prime location in west Hyderabad, has now come under the scanner as the society allegedly violated building bye-laws. Recently, civic officials demolished six villas as the society was granted permission for only 225, but built the additional structures.
Manikonda municipality has issued notices to the society president, warning them not to proceed with any unauthorised constructions in their row houses. The notices clearly stated that failure to comply would result in action being taken as per the rules in force. However, despite these warnings, construction activities continued unabated.
Recently, Manikonda municipality town planning officials inspected the site and found that the housing society had violated the GO No. 658 and the permission granted by HMDA in 2009. According to the GO, the society was allowed to construct G+1 structures. However, they had instead started constructing G+2 villas, a clear violation of the regulations since 2016.
“The housing society has engaged in unauthorised construction activities, including the addition of extra built-up area and illegal structures on the permitted floors, which is a violation of the approved plans,” Manikonda municipal commissioner D Pradeep Kumar said.
According to him, if the society continues to disregard the notice and fails to comply with the directions, the matter would be escalated and forwarded to Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection (HYDRAA), which would straight away bulldoze the extra built-up area. “The society is willing to pay the necessary taxes and penalties for the extra floors,” Telugu cine workers’ cooperative housing society president V Anil Kumar said.
BJP MP Konda Vishveswar Reddy on Monday said that a majority of people support HYDRAA but the agency can do better with some corrections.
Taking to X, the BJP MP said, “I conducted a Twitter poll. 78% of the public think, it is good. But our stance is…HYDRAA has shortcomings or problems. First, identify who are the culprits and who are the victims and define that properly.”
Vishveswar Reddy said that demolitions alone aren’t enough and suggested different ways for the civic agency to improve their functioning.
