The Telangana High Court has issued a directive to government agencies to remove unauthorized structures from the Musi riverbed, supporting the Congress-led state government’s ambitious Musi Riverfront Development Project.
The court’s decision comes in the wake of numerous writ petitions challenging the state’s actions to demolish residential houses deemed as encroachments in the Full Tank Level (FTL) or River Bed Zone of the Musi River. In a definitive order, the court instructed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) and other relevant authorities to strictly enforce the Supreme Court’s guidelines on encroachments by issuing eviction notices.
This cleanup operation is mandated to be completed in a “time-bound manner,” as the court highlighted the urgency of reviving the river which flows through Hyderabad. The directives also include preventing sewage contamination in the river and conducting a detailed socio-economic survey to accommodate displaced individuals appropriately.
The government agencies have also been instructed to initiate criminal actions against those responsible for encroachments under the provisions of the Water, Land and Trees Act, 2002 (WALTA Act). This includes ensuring compensation for those whose ‘patta’ or ‘Shikam patta’ lands are affected by the project.
The petitioners had argued that their structures, which were permitted by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), should not be removed. They accused the government of demolishing homes without proper inquiry or prior notice, claiming their rights were being infringed upon as their properties fell within the designated FTL and Buffer Zones of the Musi river.
Contrasting this, the state government defended its actions by detailing the Musi Riverfront Development Project’s objectives to the court. The project aims to transform the river’s surroundings into a vibrant urban space with clean water, improved transport networks, and enhanced heritage sites, thus revitalizing a key area of Hyderabad.
The issue has sparked political debate, with opposition parties like the BRS and the BJP criticizing the Congress government for allegedly targeting the poor in their efforts to clear the riverfront. As the project moves forward, the state’s approach to balancing development with the displacement of affected residents remains a critical concern.
