Illegal hostels mushroom in Gachibowli, collapse of seven-storey building exposes civic apathy

Illegal hostels and paying guest (PG) accommodations have rapidly increased across Gachibowli, many without permissions or oversight. The collapse of a seven‑storeyed unauthorised building has highlighted civic negligence, prompting the RWAs to lodge formal complaints with evidence.

Hyderabad: The mushrooming of illegal hostels and paying guest accommodations amid residential colonies in Gachibowli has raised concerns, with residents alleging that several of these facilities are operating without required permissions and oversight.

The collapse of a seven-storeyed illegal building with a penthouse on a plot measuring 48 square yards at Anjaiah Nagar on Saturday has exposed the civic body’s apathy in monitoring such establishments and ensuring compliance with norms. Most of these hostels at Gachibowli are built on small parcels of land with rooms that come across as pigeon boxes and are used as common dining halls.

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A Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) official, who anonymously conceded that  they have no exact data on these hostels, estimated 1,000 to 1,500 hostels in CMC limits.

Meanwhile, the CMC Commissioner, G Srijana, formed a vigilance team to check the illegal buildings, including hostels, in CMC limits and verify building permissions, setbacks, height restrictions, and physical inspections of every building.

RWAs to file complaints

Meanwhile, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) of Gachibowli and surrounding colonies have decided to file complaints regarding building violations supported with photographic evidence.

Several RWAs including The Citizens Council, TeNA, FGCC, ACF, MNWA and UFERWAS, repeatedly represented on illegal constructions with excessive floors on small plot coming up in Gachibowli, Tellapur, Narsingi, Manikonda, Kokapet, Kukatpally but no effective action was taken by the CMC.