Graveyard sold as plots in BHEL housing society, GHMC begins probe

HYDERABAD: In a land scam which has come under GHMC radar, a total of 38 plots have allegedly been sold in the graveyard and open space in BHEL MIG Housing Society Colony in Serilingampally. Complaints have been filed against some housing society members and Chandanagar police have begun looking into the charges of irregularities.
Deputy city planner of GHMC Serilingampally zone R Srinivasa Rao told TOI that they have received a complaint on February 26.“We have sent teams for inspection at the site. We will take suitable action,” he said.
Human Rights and Consumer Protection Cell, in a complaint filed with various authorities on February 24, alleged that the space earmarked for the graveyard in the colony was being sold as plots of 80 square yards each to various persons. “The HUDA-approved layout clearly shows that the area is designated for a graveyard,” it said.
Apart from GHMC town planning, revenue and police officials are also seized of the alleged sale of graveyard and shopping complex areas in the housing society. An encumbrance search of stamps and registration department records has revealed that the plots had been sold between 2017 and 2019.
The BHEL MIG Colony was founded in 1989. As per Hyderabad Urban Development Authority-approved layout, 2,500 houses with space for parks, garbage, dumpyards and a graveyard were planned.
Whistleblower Thakur Raj Kumar Singh, who filed a complaint, said some old houses which sprung up in the graveyard should be demolished. “If they are any BPL families, they should be relocated,” he said.
Meanwhile, the housing society has asked the authorities to protect the graveyard and take suitable action against the members who resorted to irregularities. Repeated attempts to reach housing society president Venkat Reddy went in vain.