Issue of illegal constructions haunts Kukatpally contestants

Hyderabad: Illegal constructions which posed a big problem of submergence of habitations, is a big election issue in the Kukatpally constituency. Voters are demanding the contestants to focus more on protecting residential areas from floods due to unauthorised structures.

With the polling date fast approaching, aspirants of the BRS, Congress and BJP have aggressively begun ‘padayatra’ by visiting various localities. They are facing a tough time, as the locals, specially from Kukatpally, Balanagar, Moosapet are pressuring them to include this perennial issue as main agenda and to take action on encroachers once in power

Locals point out that illegal construction is sprouting across the segment. This has led to various problems, including damage to sewage pipelines. Due to that, during every monsoon, lanes get submerged. Residents of Allapur and Balanagar express anguish over lack of government health centres.

The segment, with over 4.5 lakh electors, comprises of Kukatpally, Allapur, Balanagar, Moosapet, Fatehnagar, Bowenpally and Ferozguda areas.

Competing for a win are candidates from the BRS, Congress, and BJP. The BRS legislator Madhavaram Krishna Rao has a stronger cadre base, when compared to Congress aspirant Bandi Ramesh and BJP nominee Prem Kumar.

Said Ramesh Rao of Kukatpally, “One of the foremost failures in the segment is no step has been taken to stop illegal constructions. In Gopalnagar there are around 20 illegal structures that have come up. Due to that our lanes have become narrow and traffic congestion has increased in our areas. For the past several years we are struggling to reside here. We have been approaching parties to include the long pending issues as the main agenda. We will make sure that once they come to power they take up the issue as the first preference.”

According to Amed Khan of Bowenpally.“Bowenpally has a huge population of construction labour and daily-wage workers, but they are yet to get houses under the 2BHK scheme. Aanother concerned is encroachment of Hasmathpet lake. This has been pending for many years. Whenever candidates are meeting us we urge them to fulfill our demand.”