Mon Jan 20 15:26:24 UTC 2025: ## Hyderabad Officials Tackle Flood of Encroachment Complaints at Public Forum
**HYDERABAD, January 20, 2025** – A public grievance redressal forum, “Prajavani,” held simultaneously at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) on Monday, was overwhelmed with complaints, primarily focusing on illegal construction and land encroachments.
The GHMC event saw heated exchanges, with one individual physically removed by police after angrily protesting the corporation’s inaction on a land-grabbing case involving a prominent builder. A. Narsing Rao claimed a builder illegally occupied his wife’s land despite a 2014 court order, alleging that despite multiple appeals, the GHMC failed to revoke the building’s permission.
Another complaint highlighted the unauthorized extension of a house encroaching on a five-foot alleyway in Ramnagar, causing ventilation and sanitation problems for neighboring residents. Similar complaints of encroached open spaces and stormwater drains were raised at both venues. One particularly noteworthy case involved the alleged encroachment of a layout open space in Defence Colony, Secunderabad, by a local corporator under the guise of a lease agreement with the previous colony welfare association.
HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath personally reviewed complaints, including one alleging a builder filled a stormwater drain to construct a gated community in Attapur. He ordered immediate on-site inspections and action. A total of 108 complaints were received at GHMC, with 30 specifically related to town planning. HYDRAA received 89 grievances. While officials issued instructions for resolving the issues, the sheer volume of complaints underscores ongoing challenges in tackling illegal construction and land encroachment within the city.
First Piper 