Altercations erupted at the Khajaguda Rock formations in Hyderabad’s Nanakramguda after an excavator started clearing debris on the morning of Friday, July 14. Members of the Society to Save Rocks, an NGO keen on protecting the rock formations in the city, gathered at Khajaguda on Saturday, and after several rounds of back and forth with construction workers, and police officials, it was decided that no construction will take place until August 1, when the state revenue officials will conduct a land survey at the site.
Shortly after an excavator was spotted at the site on Friday, Sphoorti Nadimpalli, a member of the ‘Save Khajaguda Rocks’ group, lodged a complaint with the Narsingi police station in the city. Sphoorti said that the rocks weren’t damaged, but were moved in the process of excavation. “As I filed my complaint, a Narsingi police station official told me to dial 100 if this continues. But no official turned up when I called. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) hasn’t responded either,” said Sphoorti, who also noted in her complaint that despite a stay order by the Telangana High Court, the site is still in peril.
The city’s Society to Save Rocks group gathered at Khajaguda on Saturday morning to protest the inaction after they tried repeatedly to inform officials about the construction on Friday. “The rocks have time and again attracted nature lovers and heritage enthusiasts. The main issue currently is the realtors' lobby’s attempt to take over the land,” Vice President of Society to Save Rocks, Sangeetha Verma told TNM.
Four years ago, in July 2019, the Society to Save Rocks filed a writ petition before the Telangana High Court asking for action against people responsible for demolishing rock formations covered under serial numbers: 452/1, 450/1, 450/2 and particularly 448, where the rocks are located. Meanwhile, SV Raghava Reddy, a resident of the locality, has staked a claim to the 12 acres of land under Serial number 448, which extends to the site of the rocks. "I have all the documents to prove ownership and will wait until the survey is done to resume construction of my house there," Reddy told TNM.
Sangeetha Verma alleged that the land records are improperly managed, making it difficult for a cap to be put in. “Civil groups have been complaining about this for over four years but the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) hasn’t responded appropriately, which has further precipitated the issue,’ she said.
The activists had also appealed to the State of Telangana to include the rock formations in the schedule attached to the Telangana Heritage (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Maintenance) Act of 2017. Ritwik Reddy, a member of the Hyderabad Climbers invested in the issue, brought up the April 2022 order of the Telangana High Court which yet again, barred construction of any kind from taking place in the area owing to repeated attempts by various parties to encroach on the land.
After the issue garnered attention on social media, the Telangana Special Chief Secretary for Urban Development, Arvind Kumar, made a statement vowing to visit the area and prevent any attempt at endangering the rock formations.
I will visit in next few days and ensure against amy such attempt if it's actually endangering these rocks @HMDA_Gov @GHMCOnline https://t.co/aeVSKgT6Ls
— Arvind Kumar (@arvindkumar_ias) July 14, 2023