An illegal structure has sprung up in the middle of Hitec City and right under the nose of civic officials. Anyone passing through the Madhapur main road cannot miss the sight of a vacant pandal in Kummar Basthi, close to the Cyber Towers.
The tin-roofed structure, 40 feet in height, was constructed during the Ganesh festival on an open plot. However, the local residents, who built the pandal, are refusing to dismantle the structure much to the inconvenience of local traders.
“Every year, a temporary shelter is built for Ganesh idol which is removed a few days after the immersion. But this time, a few locals built a stronger shelter with tin, which is taller than the previous ones. It looks like there is a motive as they are refusing to remove it. We are facing parking problems. The structure is blocking some shops causing loss to businesses,” said a tea stall owner of the area.
Some residents as well as local businessmen approached the GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation), which is still to take any action, despite the structure standing tall since months.
Neither does the structure have permission nor does the land belong to a private party, according to the locals as well as GHMC officials.
“Since we received complaints, our officials visited the site. We wanted to remove the structure but the villagers conveyed to us that it is a holy spot. We want to act with caution keeping in mind the sentiment of the villagers. Since the Revenue Department is the custodian of government properties, we have asked them to submit a report on the history of the plot. Once we get the report, we will decide on the future course of action,” said V.V. Manohar, Deputy Commissioner, Serilingampally.
