HC Directed to Remove Unregistered Temple and Masjid on Road Margins

The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the GHMC and revenue authorities to remove the unregistered temple and masjid and illegal constructions on the stretch from GVM Road to Musheerabad Road in New Bakaram and file a status report in three weeks. 

A division bench of Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice Namavarapu Rajeshwar Rao gave the order on a contempt case filed by K. Sreedhar Reddy of Shatabdi Nilayam Flat Owners Welfare Association who accused the officials of inaction despite a court order to remove encroachments on both sides of the road leading to Janapriya Abodes Apartments in Musheerabad.

The petitioner had moved to the High Court in April 2022 about the illegal constructions. The court had directed the GHMC and the collector to remove the encroachments. The court was not complied with and the association in 2023 filed a contempt case mentioning then MA&UD principal secretary Arvind Kumar, then GHMC chief Lokesh Kumar and then collector Amoy Kumar as respondents. After the officers were transferred, there was



still no action. 

With that, the court issued warrants against GHMC commissioner Ronald Rose and collector Anudeep Durisetty. Both officials appeared before the court and said they would comply with the orders within four weeks.

On Tuesday, the government pleader for revenue said the encroachments were removed and debris left behind. Counsel representing the alleged encroachers said that they had filed a review petition and that there was a temple and a masjid on the site. The bench took a serious view of this and directed the authorities to clear the debris and remove the unregistered temple and masjid as they were on the road margin. 

The bench said any construction, even if it is a temple or a masjid, is liable to be shifted if it is located on the road margin. The bench also rejected the contentions of counsel for the alleged encroachers that some of his clients were supported by registered documents stating that the constructions were on the road margins.