The authorities in Hyderabad have started demolishing homes located in the catchment areas of the Musi River. This is part of the Musi River Beautification program. Around 140 houses, from Chaderghat to Malakpet, are being taken down under heavy police security.
This is the first time the authorities have begun removing homes as part of the Musi River clean-up project. On Tuesday, the homes marked for demolition were torn down. These homes were marked with “RB-X,” and residents were relocated to a 2BHK housing society. The Revenue officials had earlier sealed these homes before the demolition began.
In the first phase, officials from the Revenue Department and the Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Limited (MRDCL) started the demolition in areas such as Rasoolpura, Musa Nagar, Vinayak Nagar, and Shankar Nagar. These areas are all part of the Malakpet constituency. Since the houses were small, laborers demolished them instead of using JCB machines. The drive started in the morning, and about 20 houses in Rasoolpura were demolished. The operation then moved to Musa Nagar and Shankar Nagar, where over 140 houses marked “RB-X” were taken down.
Some families, whose 2BHK flats were not yet ready, found their homes being demolished without prior notice. A resident, Syed Bilal, expressed sadness, saying that homes built with years of hard work were destroyed in moments. Many dwellers, frustrated by the situation, even began tearing down their own homes. Young people were seen collecting items like gates and windows, either to reuse or sell for scrap.
Many affected families voiced their complaints, saying that the 2BHK homes given to them were not fully prepared. A total of 163 families chose to move to these new homes, but many protested, saying the flats lacked basic facilities like water and working bathrooms. They also highlighted the absence of lifts, which made it hard for elderly residents to stay in upper-floor apartments.
At the demolition sites, families demanded that the government stop tearing down homes and offer better housing solutions. Some gathered to protest and chant slogans, showing their anger and frustration. Police eventually dispersed the crowd.
One woman, in particular, was upset about the poor condition of the 2BHK flats. She pointed out that there were no water or bathroom facilities and that she and others would rather rebuild their homes than live in such conditions. She questioned how the government expected people to live in these flats without basic amenities.
In addition to the demolitions in Chaderghat and Malakpet, officials from the electricity department were seen removing electric meters from the houses. Demolitions also occurred in other areas like Narsingi and Jiyaguda, which are also part of the Musi River catchment areas.
