Residents of Surya Nagar in Hyderabad are pushing back against a multi-storey building they say defies the approved layout, casting fresh doubt on GHMC’s enforcement of urban planning regulations.
A 7-storey residential complex, developed by Eight Spaces, has sparked a storm of protests in Surya Nagar Colony after locals discovered the construction allegedly violates the colony's original layout. Approved decades ago for low-rise homes and communal open spaces, the layout, residents claim, never envisioned a high-rise structure encroaching on park land and straining existing infrastructure.
The building, located at plot number 8-1-21/140, is being built in an area that was supposedly earmarked for residential use with defined zoning limits. Locals allege that the new construction not only defies the sanctioned layout but also compromises public access to the adjacent park and overburdens drainage and parking systems. Despite their repeated complaints, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has not intervened, triggering suspicion of internal collusion.
At the center of this row are two GHMC Circle 18 officials: Assistant City Planner Srinivas and Section Officer Suresh. A complaint signed by 5,000 residents, now with the Telangana vigilance department, alleges that the two officials allowed the deviation by signing off on the building permit in violation of GHMC’s own norms. Residents are demanding criminal action, demolition of the illegal structure, and immediate freezing of property registration for the project.
Eight Spaces, the developer, maintains that the construction meets all required GHMC norms and includes provision for adequate parking. However, colony members counter this claim by citing the building’s proximity to parkland and its apparent non-conformity with the original layout, which they say was never officially revised.
Under GHMC regulations, a building plan must be approved through a stepwise process – submission of architectural drawings, verification of land ownership, assessment of zoning compliance, and issuance of a building permit. Assistant city planners and section officers are tasked with ensuring that proposals align with master plans before issuing approvals. Despite this, violations are increasingly common, suggesting a breakdown in the system’s integrity.
GHMC’s own data shows that illegal constructions make up nearly half of the complaints filed on Prajavani, its public grievance platform. From extra floors to the conversion of residential plots into commercial use, the city has witnessed hundreds of violations – many in broad daylight, with little enforcement.
Surya Nagar is not alone. In West Hyderabad, older gram panchayat layouts are rapidly transforming into “concrete jungles.” In a single day, GHMC received 64 complaints about unauthorized structures, many of which involve encroachment on roads, green belts, and public spaces. The Telangana High Court has repeatedly pulled up GHMC for its failure to curb illegal constructions and recently questioned how such violations persist despite having designated enforcement officers.
In response, the state government has proposed a municipal tribunal to expedite action against unauthorized buildings. GHMC also introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) mandating show-cause notices and sealing of illegal sites. Yet, enforcement remains selective. GHMC council members from BRS and BJP have accused the corporation of turning a blind eye when the violator is politically connected or commercially powerful.
Layouts Under Siege: The Surya Nagar case illustrates a growing urban dilemma: the erosion of planning norms amid rapid real estate expansion. What was once a community-centric colony is now caught in a bureaucratic and legal battle to preserve its identity.
As vigilance officials investigate the role of Srinivas and Suresh, and pressure mounts from residents and the media, this confrontation may set a precedent for how far Hyderabad’s civic institutions are willing or even capable of going to uphold their own rules.
Whether the structure comes down or the residents are forced to live under its shadow, the fight in Surya Nagar signals a broader conflict at the heart of Hyderabad’s urban future: planned growth versus unchecked concrete sprawl.