Rajendra Reddy Nagar Welfare Association in Chandanagar saw a wave of protests by hundreds of its residents, which included children and women. The residents on Sunday started a protest against the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) demanding cancellation of approvals to convert designated land for parks into open plots.

The protestors claimed that land sharks have conspired along with GHMC and HMDA, used “forged and fabricated” documents to get permissions to the land that assess around Rs.50-60 crore. According to the association, in 1997, HMDA approved to convert a portion of land, measuring 19acres and 20guntas, at Ameenpur road in Chandanagar into 277 open plots.

The association alleges that the developers, who are kin of a former ruling party minister, obtained General Power Attorney (GPA) from the landlords and sold the plots. During that time, while establishing a layout, the developers ensured to follow the HMDA norms and left about three-acres for parks and green belt.

Rajendra Reddy Nagar Welfare Association, also claimed that land sharks created fake and forged GPA from the original landlord to attain permissions. The welfare association got a whiff about these developments earlier and immediately staged protests. This resulted in the construction of a compound wall to protect the space allotted for the park during December 2019 – this was directed by the GHMC town planning wing, who appointed officials of the Engineering Wing to carry the task.

Speaking on the same, a member of the association, P Ram Chander Reddy, said, “As things escalated adversely, the encroachers went to High Court and got a stay order, and used the lockdown period to erect an iron-sheeted compound wall.” 

Another colony resident and Loksatta leader, Katari Chander Reddy, said, “Encroachers have created a fake GPA and created 35 more plots, encroaching the parks and the green belt, with the support of rowdies and anti-social elements.” He also mentioned that the GHMC and HMDA should rescind the encroachers’ permissions.