Nine months after the GHMC started its demolition drive to remove encroachments from footpaths in the name of ‘Right to Walk’, pedestrians are yet to enjoy their right. Except near the Metro Rail stations, nowhere in the city has the work been initiated to re-lay footpaths that were damaged or totally removed during the drive.
Many encroachments removed during the nine months served as façades for commercial establishments and shops, and after their removal, even shoppers are forced to walk on roads.
Encroachment removal from footpaths was the most important assignment given to the Enforcement, Vigilance and Disaster Management (EVDM) wing of the GHMC after its formation with separate office, staff and equipment.
As part of the drive, special teams were formed, each consisting of 20 officials and workers, with modernised equipment and earth-movers. The teams started work in June-end last year, by swooping down on encroachments on 48 stretches covering 127.5 kilometres. The drive was continued in subsequent phases on various important thoroughfares in the city, broken only during Assembly elections and now, LS polls.
The EVDM wing recently celebrated one year of its formation. More than 16,000 encroachments had been cleared from footpaths by the wing. Fines to the tune of ₹15.15 lakh were imposed on 294 shops. Yet, the promise made by then GHMC Commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy during the initial phase remains unfulfilled. He had instructed the respective zonal commissioners to start re-laying footpaths in two days and finish it within 15 days. Pedestrians however, are yet to see the results.
Hyderabad Road Development Corporation (HRDCL) officials said that GHMC had been taking up works for which sanction was given earlier, but has not taken up work on demolished footpaths. Also, it has washed its hands of demolitions carried out in service roads, wherever they were beyond 30 metres from the main road. GHMC officials, nevertheless, shift the responsibility to HRDCL. HMRL has been laying footpaths of 500 metres only on both sides of Metro stations.