Hyderabad: In a significant ruling reinforcing accountability in civic enforcement, Telangana high court has made it clear that demolition costs for illegal constructions cannot be borne by the public exchequer. Justice NV Shravan Kumar delivered the observation while hearing a petition concerning the construction of an arch by a religious entity on Street No. 10, Tarnaka. The petitioner alleged that the structure encroached upon a public road and was erected without the required permissions. The court held that the recovery of demolition expenses from owners of illegal structures was a mandatory legal requirement and that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation had to recover these costs from violators rather than using public funds to remove unauthorised constructions. Disposing of the petition on April 7, the court directed GHMC to finalise action on the complaint within four weeks. It also observed that if the allegations of illegality are established, recovery of all incurred expenses from the institution would be mandatory under the law. At the same time, the court permitted the institution to seek modification of the order through appropriate legal remedies. The issue first came to light when the petitioner flagged it on social media, followed by a formal complaint lodged through the GHMC mobile app in March. Petitioner’s contentionAppearing for the petitioner, counsel Vijay Gopal alleged inaction on the part of civic authorities despite provisions under the TG-bPASS Act, 2020, which mandate that complaints related to unauthorised constructions be examined within a week. He further argued that when demolition costs are borne by the state, it fails to deter violators, who often resume illegal activities. In response, GHMC’s standing counsel submitted that a show-cause notice and a speaking order had already been issued to the institution, directing it to remove the unauthorised portions. It was also stated that in case of non-compliance, GHMC would proceed with demolition and recover the expenses from the institution.
