Residents in Musi Riverbed defy eviction with stay orders

Hyderabad: A couple of weeks ago, several dwellings in Chaitanyapuri and Kothapet along the Musi River were marked for demolition with ‘RB-X’ using raid paint by the officials of the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (MRDCL), municipal and revenue departments and the HMWS&SB.

Today, when you revisit the place, nearly 100 houses in these localities are proudly displaying the banners stating they have secured stay orders from the Telangana High Court to prevent it from demolition by the officials. The text on the banner or wall of the house reads, “This house is under protection order vide writ petition no. (petition details) before Honourable High Court.”

Last month, the officials of the Revenue department faced opposition from the residents of Chaitanyapuri, Kothapet, Maruthinagar, Satyanagar colony and Janapriya colony when they visited these areas to assess the encroachment of the Musi riverbed and buffer zone land for the Musi riverfront development project.

While the demolitions were underway in the Musi river catchment areas, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) Commissioner AV Ranganath had clarified that the agency was not involved in the surveys or evictions of its residents. He stated that the HYDRAA officials did not mark any houses in the Musi riverbed and the Musi beautification project is being developed by the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (MRDCL).