GHMC pulls down eatery in Banjara Hills, locals happy

HYDERABAD: Civic officials swooped down on an eatery — Down Town Drive In — located in MLA Colony, (Road No 12) Banjara Hills, on Monday, and sealed it for functioning illegally. A part of the premises, leased out by NTR’s grandson and Ttown actor Taraka Ratna Ramarao Nandamuri, was also razed by the officials. While the actor rushed to the spot, as Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) staff started bulldozing a portion of the structure, it failed to deter them.

“The eatery has been sealed as it has no building permission. We had already served notices to the concerned people regarding it. Other commercial establishments in the area have also been served notices,” said Mohammed Musharraf Ali Faruqui, zonal commissioner (Khairatabad zone), GHMC.



Incidentally, the move comes days after TOI reported about the grievances of people living in Banjara Hills and how commercial establishments had turned their locality into tinder boxes. Pavement encroachments in the area were also removed following the news reports.

“Civic officials received a lot of calls from prominent people, including politicians, asking them not to seal the eatery or pull it down. Yet, the zonal commissioner decided to go ahead,” said a source from GHMC.

While welcoming the move, residents of the area said that the eatery had become a nuisance. “Being a celebrity (Taraka Ratna) he should have ensured there is fire safety in the property. Our lives were put at stake due to establishment flouting fire safety norms,” said Ridhima V, a resident of MLA Colony. Another resident of the area said that the presence of such commercial establishments had increased their fear of accidents.

“Rash driving by people visiting the commercial establishments was very dangerous for people, especially children and senior citizens. Finally the menace has ended,” Praveena Sarvepalli, colony convener, MLA Colony Residents Welfare Forum (Banjara Hills).