2,166 permanent structures, 10,200 encroachments identified around Musi River

Hyderabad: As part of the Musi Riverfront Development Project, the Telangana government has identified as many as 2,166 permanent structures on the Musi River and its catchment areas in Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts.

These are among the 10,200 encroachments in the catchment area of Musi River in these three districts, the officials said.

To collect more details about areas, as many as 16 teams, comprising officials from various departments, conducted a survey of Musi River and its catchment areas in the three districts on Thursday.

Revenue department gathers details of houses

The revenue department officials gathered the details of houses constructed in the Musi River and its catchment areas and identified those eligible for rehabilitation. Later, they also kept markings on the houses in the buffer zone of the Musi River.

In Hyderabad, the officials visited Chaderghat, Musanagar and Shankar Nagar and conducted a survey under the supervision of Himayat Sagar tahsildar Sandhya Rani. Simultaneously, the teams also conducted surveys in Ibrahim Bagh and Langer House Defence Colony.

Officials face opposition from Uppal residents

The residents of Kothapet, Satyanagar, Chaitanya Puri, Phanigiri Colony, Indira Nagar and Ganesh Puri colonies expressed their anger against the revenue department officials in Uppal for conducting a survey in their locality. Facing severe criticism from the residents, the officials left the place.

“We won’t allow the officials to demolish our houses which were constructed after taking all necessary permissions from the concerned departments. What are the officials doing when they have been making ventures for 30 years? We will intensify our agitation if the government comes forward with a demolition drive in our localities,” the residents said.

1,600 structures identified for removal

Musi River Front Development Corporation managing director Dana Kishore said that, as part of the beautification of Musi, around 1,600 structures related to private individuals have been identified for removal through the survey. A plan of action in this regard has been readied by Musi Riverfront Development Corporation, he said.

As per the instructions of chief minister A Revanth Reddy, double-bedroom houses would be sanctioned to every resident who needs rehabilitation due to the project.

The State government has allocated around 15,000 double-bedroom houses for the resettlement of families living in the Musi river bed and buffer zone. Instructions have been issued to the district collectors concerned to formulate guidelines for rehabilitation activities regarding the structures in the river bed, Dana Kishore said.

‘Demolitions only after rehabilitation’

Elaborating further, he said that the demolition of these structures would start only after allocating double-bedroom houses as part of the rehabilitation efforts.

Proposals have been sent to the government under the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Act regarding the buffer zone.

Only after compensation is given to the victims according to the law, land acquisition would begin, he said, and added that expatriates near Musi should not be under the misconception and that all those who are eligible would be resettled.