After repeat violations, HMDA to change contentious road plan next to Khajaguda Hills

Activists kept questioning the need for a new road alignment being planned by the HMDA cutting through the rocks when there is a perfectly viable road already away from the protected rocks.

Hyderabad: After repeat violations of the Telangana High Court order, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has agreed to change the contentious 100 feet road plan next to the Khajaguda Hills.

Activists have been visiting the HMDA’s office repeatedly to press on the road plan and this announcement comes as an immense relief.

Arvind Kumar said that he has asked the HRDC team to realign the road along with the Kutcha road thereby not cutting into the protected rocks. The decision took place after an inspection done at the site by a DSP level officer on Friday.

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Telangana High Court’s order dating back to 4/06/2019 gave a verdict that the Khajaguda rocks should not be disturbed, damaged, or destroyed.

Activists said that the white dotted line is the current 20 feet road and the new 100 feet road being laid by HMDA is up onto the Hill, thereby, destroying the rocks.

The activists on Friday alleged that blast wires have been laid on the precious rocks and can be blasted by the HMDA at any moment. They raised an SOS call on Twitter regarding the danger and asked MA&UD Minister KT Rama Rao and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to stop the destruction.

The activists kept questioning the need for a new road alignment being planned by the HMDA cutting through the rocks when there is a perfectly viable kutcha road already away from the protected rocks. “The government body (HMDA) is violating the state High Court order repeatedly and it is a matter of grave concern,” one of the activists had said.

The Telangana government had suspended a Village Revenue Assistant (VRA) on Thursday after it was found that four persons had encroached and destroyed rocks at the historic Khajaguda rock site. Municipal Administration and Urban Development special secretary Arvind Kumar said that six security guards now be placed at the site 24/7 to protect it.

The development happened after activists and concerned citizens had protested and placed set up display boards in English and Telugu at the heritage site last Sunday citing the Telangana High Court’s order from 2019, which protects the monument. In a tweet, Arvind Kumar also said that after examining the situation an FIR was filed against four persons 4 persons for encroaching and destroying the site.

The boards put up by the activists read: “Survey Numbers 450/1, 450/2, 448, 452, are protected sites as per Telangana High Court stay order PIL No.51/2019. Any disturbance to any rock, hill by cutting rocks or dumping will be held as contempt of the court. The Person carrying out the activity and the instigators are punishable by law. Khajaguda is a place for nature, peaceful brotherhood of three faiths, adventure sports, tranquillity, and photography only.”

After last week’s protest, activists said that they will also soon be filing a contempt of court against the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). Last Sunday’s protest also reached state IT and MA&UD minister K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) who asked Kumar to look into the issue.

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