Security tightened at Gandhi Bhavan amid protests over Musi River demolitions

HYDERABAD: Security was tightened at Gandhi Bhavan, the Congress headquarters at Nampally in Hyderaad, as residents from the Musi River area protested the Congress government's decision to demolish homes and businesses along the river's buffer zone.

The Musi victims group called for a protest march to Gandhi Bhavan, prompting heavy police deployment to ensure law and order. Authorities feared a possible escalation, leading to increased security measures in and around Gandhi Bhavan. The residents, facing the potential loss of their properties, expressed their anger and frustration, accusing the government of acting without compassion.

The Congress government had previously conducted a drone survey covering a two-kilometer stretch along both sides of the Musi River to identify encroachments within the Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zone areas. This survey identified 2,116 structures in the riverbed and 7,850 in the buffer zone. Officials marked many of these properties for demolition, but inconsistencies in the marking process have raised suspicions and further angered residents.

Social activists have criticised the government’s selective marking and the lack of a comprehensive resettlement plan, warning that this approach will leave many displaced without proper compensation or support. Only those marked may receive double-bedroom homes as compensation, while unmarked residents could end up homeless, a concern voiced widely among those impacted by the planned demolitions.