Acting on the directions of Telangana high court, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has intensified action against illegal constructions and unauthorised floors across the city. Since Jan, the civic body has identified 1,538 illegal structures, issued 1,517 show cause notices, demolished 204, and sealed 93 buildings.
Most violations involve unauthorised floors, encroachments, construction without permissions, deviating from plans, disregarding setbacks, and developing properties without approvals, said officials.
“In many areas, owners secure approvals for two or three floors but end up building seven or eight. This is rampant in Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Film Nagar, Shaikpet, KPHB, Moosapet, and Malakpet,” a senior GHMC town planning official said.
The high court had, on April 29, pulled up GHMC for allowing such unchecked violations even after notices were served. The court observed that unauthorised constructions were continuing without fear of the law, and recommended sealing of illegal floors simultaneously with the issue of notices.
GHMC officials said sealing is now being carried out as per court orders. “Buildings with completely unauthorised floors are being sealed. For cases involving plan deviations, we act under GHMC and TG-bPASS regulations. Minor deviations are being regularised through fees,” the official added. GHMC receives a large number of complaints during its Prajavani, with illegal constructions accounting for 50%.
Another major violation is the conversion of residential buildings into commercial ones while paying taxes at residential rates. Earlier this year, the civic body seized a shopping mall at RTC X Roads for operating without an occupancy certificate.
