The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) undertook a demolition drive in Kondapur’s Sri Ram Nagar locality on Thursday, removing over ten unauthorised structures encroaching on footpaths.
The encroachments, which lined both sides of a busy arterial road, had long obstructed pedestrian movement and posed safety concerns for residents navigating the area. The intervention followed mounting pressure from local citizens who raised repeated complaints about the issue and signalled plans to launch a public protest if the encroachments were not addressed. Acting on these concerns, GHMC officials deployed a demolition team equipped with earthmovers and other heavy machinery to dismantle the illegal structures and reclaim the public space for pedestrian use.
According to civic officials overseeing the operation, the demolished structures included semi-permanent stalls, makeshift kiosks, and other illegal extensions erected by commercial establishments. These not only blocked safe passage for pedestrians but also contributed to localised traffic congestion and environmental degradation due to unmanaged waste and unauthorised electricity connections. The clearance drive forms part of GHMC’s wider strategy to create a more walkable and inclusive city by prioritising pedestrian infrastructure, especially in rapidly urbanising corridors such as Kondapur. Officials confirmed that the drive was conducted following legal procedure, with advance notices issued and encroachers warned ahead of the action. The civic body also cited provisions under the Hyderabad Municipal Act which empowers the local authority to remove obstructions that compromise public access and safety.
For residents of Sri Ram Nagar and nearby localities, the move has come as a long-awaited relief. Local advocacy groups, particularly those focused on pedestrian safety and sustainable urban mobility, have welcomed the action, describing it as a step toward rebalancing public space in favour of people rather than private commercial interests. Several residents noted that schoolchildren, senior citizens, and people with disabilities had long been forced to walk on roads due to blocked footpaths, risking accidents in areas already burdened with traffic flow. The GHMC’s action also reinforces the growing role of citizen participation in urban governance. In recent months, there has been an uptick in residents reaching out to municipal authorities through digital grievance platforms, social media campaigns, and ward-level consultations. Officials have acknowledged this surge in citizen engagement, recognising it as a key driver behind prioritising urban interventions in high-density zones.
Urban development experts noted that such initiatives, if sustained and scaled across Hyderabad, could significantly contribute to the city’s ambitions of becoming a more sustainable and climate-resilient metropolis. They pointed out that encroachment-free footpaths not only ensure safe mobility but also encourage walking as a primary mode of travel, thereby reducing dependence on carbon-emitting vehicles. This aligns with national goals under initiatives such as the Smart Cities Mission and the AMRUT programme, which place strong emphasis on inclusive, low-emission infrastructure in city planning. However, the demolition drive has also sparked concerns among small vendors, many of whom argue that they are victims of poor urban planning rather than willful violators. While civic authorities maintain that alternate vending zones are being identified to accommodate street vendors in a regulated manner, experts caution that a sustainable solution must strike a balance between reclaiming public spaces and ensuring livelihood security.
Equitable urban development, they argue, should not marginalise informal economies but instead integrate them within the framework of planned infrastructure. This includes designated vending zones, pedestrian plazas, and inclusive markets that do not compromise the mobility or safety of citizens. For the GHMC, the challenge going forward will be to ensure that such drives are accompanied by rehabilitative measures and policy frameworks that uphold the rights of all urban stakeholders. In the context of Kondapur, which has witnessed a property and population boom over the past decade, managing urban growth sustainably remains a pressing concern. Rapid commercialisation, especially along main roads, has often outpaced regulatory enforcement, leading to unplanned sprawl and strain on existing infrastructure.
The recent clearance drive may mark the beginning of a more assertive phase in GHMC’s urban management approach—one that places civic order, sustainability, and public access at its core. Whether it can evolve into a model for other parts of the city will depend on consistent enforcement, community engagement, and a broader vision for equitable public space use. As Hyderabad continues its transformation into a smarter and greener city, the Kondapur action offers a timely reminder that the path to urban progress must begin with the basics: accessible, obstruction-free footpaths that serve every citizen equally.
