Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has directed authorities to immediately remove encroachments on roads, parks, pavements and open spaces in the Baghlingampally Housing Board colony in Hyderabad, observing that unchecked illegal occupation and official negligence had turned a well-planned residential area into a “slum-like locality”.
Justice NV Shravan Kumar issued the directions while hearing a petition filed by the Saptagiri Enclave Residents Welfare Association and 14 residents of the HIG-2 section of Baghlingampally over alleged road encroachments.
The court also ordered an inquiry against officials who allegedly ignored repeated representations over the years and thereby encouraged encroachments through inaction.
Petitioners’ arguments
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioners submitted that a road connecting the western side of the colony to the Chikkadpally main road had been encroached upon with temporary structures. Some occupants had also allegedly constructed bathrooms and were discharging wastewater directly onto the road, leaving the stretch waterlogged and unhygienic throughout the year.
The petitioners told the court that representations submitted in December 2025 failed to evoke any response from the authorities.
After examining photographs submitted by the petitioners, the judge observed that the case reflected how official inaction despite repeated complaints had led to the deterioration of a planned colony.
“Baghlingampally Housing Board is a clear example of how a planned colony can turn into a slum due to rampant encroachments and negligence of officials,” the court observed.
The judge noted that while notices are generally issued before clearing encroachments, the photographs placed before the court made the violations evident, making prior notices unnecessary in the present case.
The court said Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials could proceed directly with the removal of encroachments. The directions would apply to all roads and parks within the Baghlingampally Housing Board colony, it added.
At the same time, the court granted liberty to the alleged encroachers to seek legal remedy by filing appropriate applications if they had objections to the action.
The petition was subsequently disposed of.
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