The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : SCR properties razed from Sangeet to Tarnaka

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

SCR properties razed from Sangeet to Tarnaka

Unilateral and arbitrary act: SCR; widening work as per Hyderabad Municipal Act: GHMC

-Photo: K. Ramesh Babu

Making way: As part of the road-widening and upcoming metro-rail work, the GHMC officials have demolished huge walls abutting the entire Sangeet Crossroads-Mettuguda-Tarnaka-Habsiguda stretch.

HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and the South Central Railway (SCR) are in a fight to finish over widening of the busy Tarnaka road. The Railways reacted strongly to the Corporation demolishing walls of its properties early on Friday morning.

The GHMC had pressed in men and equipment to begin demolishing compound walls of railway properties between Sangeet theatre and Tarnaka with police protection. Although there was no resistance initially, towards the evening, railway authorities “condemned the unilateral and arbitrary act.”

The Corporation said the widening work was being taken up as per the provisions of the Hyderabad Municipal Act and after repeatedly requesting SCR in vain to handover its land.

Agreement expired

GHMC contended that the SCR was functioning from a leased land belonging to the government and the agreement had expired in 1969. The widening plan was being discussed for the last one year with the GHMC seeking 80,000 sq.ft of SCR land.

The Tarnaka road also forms part of the Inner Ring Road being widened from Begumpet to Tarnaka to 150 ft for providing connectivity to the Shamshabad international airport. The third metro line route from Habsiguda to Shilparamam too is being built on the alignment.

Review meet

At a review meeting held in the presence of the Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and attended by officials concerned few months ago, it was decided to pay only structural compensation for properties affected and build compound walls only.

“The railway authorities have been non-cooperative although we sent three more notices this month. There is no question of land compensation since it is government land. We have had no issues in taking over land belonging to other Central government undertaking, including Defence properties, for road widening,” said GHMC Additional Commissioner (Planning & Projects) K. Dhananjaya Reddy.

SCR Chief Public Relations Officer P. Krishnaiah, however, charged the GHMC with “exposing our stores and safety installations by demolitions even while discussions were going on to resolve the issue. We have sought land compensation. It is railway land and we have papers to prove it. We will take it up with the government and also approach the court,” he said.

Mr. Krishnaiah also said that only railway properties were being “targeted.” Refuting, Mr. Reddy said some private properties were taken over and 30 more were in the offing. Metal sheets would be put to cover some railway properties till the boundary walls were built in the next 10 to 15 days. Notices were also being issued to 55 other properties from Tarnaka to Uppal.

“The IRR has to be ready before the international airport begins operations in March. We will be coordinating with other departments in shifting electric poles and other utilities. We have also demolished 30 properties of the 122 between Santoshnagar and Chandrayanagutta as part of IRR,” he said.

Officials draw flak

Legal Correspondent adds: Justice G.Raghu Ram of the A.P.High Court on Friday expressed dismay at the attitude of officers belonging to Railways and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) regarding demolitions at Secunderabad.

The railways moved an urgent petition before the court alleging that the GHMC had resorted to illegal demolitions of Railway properties. The SCR counsel said that the GHMC began the demolition in the name of road widening, the Corporation counsel defended the action. The judge did not appreciate two wings of the state squabbling in the court on this issue and adjourned the matter to Monday indicating that better sense will prevail over the officers.

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