More Than Half The Buildings In Hyderabad Violate Building Laws

In an alarming revelation, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) says over 50 per cent of the 22 lakh houses under its jurisdiction have deviated from the original or approved building plans. Over 10 per cent of these are illegal structures, says the corporation.

City residents have rampantly engaged in building more floors than they have the permission. Many of them have decided not to maintain the mandatory distance between structures and compound walls. While some have failed to construct adequate parking space, others are using the cellar space to build larger homes. According to developers, such practices are rampant in small-sized plots.

Most of these structures are in prime residential locations of the city. These include Banjara Hills, Begumpet, Kukatpally, Punjagutta, Alwal and LB Nagar. These localities are known to house some of the most expensive properties in Hyderabad. For instance, properties in Banjara Hills start from Rs 46 lakhs (1BHK) and go up to Rs 3.70 crore (4BHK).

Illegal constructions are giving Hyderabad the same troubles they would give any city. Apart from destroying the aesthetic beauty of the city, illegal construction also pose serious threat to life and resources. These could also amount to the municipal body incurring huge losses in case they have to resort to demolition.