Hyderabad
oi-Ashish Rana
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has launched a major citywide enforcement drive against footpath encroachments across all six zones of Hyderabad, stepping up efforts to improve pedestrian safety and restore public walkways. The civic body has begun removing permanent, temporary and unauthorised structures that have occupied footpaths in several busy parts of the city.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) launched a citywide enforcement drive across all six zones, removing illegal footpath structures in busy areas like Gandhi Hospital and Kacheguda Junction to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility.
Focus on busy roads, hospitals and market stretches
Officials said the large-scale crackdown is concentrated on high-footfall areas and major road corridors where pedestrian movement is heavily affected. Several key locations have already come under the enforcement drive, including footpaths near Gandhi Hospital, Maheshwari Parmeshwari Theatre, Sultan Bazar Road and Kacheguda Junction.
Authorities said these stretches were prioritised because encroachments in such crowded zones often force people to walk on roads, creating serious safety hazards and traffic disruption.
Heavy machinery deployed to remove illegal structures
As part of the operation, GHMC teams have deployed heavy machinery, including JCBs, to demolish structures built illegally on footpaths. The drive is aimed at clearing hundreds of encroachments identified across the city, ranging from temporary obstructions to more permanent constructions.
According to officials, the action is being carried out across all six GHMC zones as part of a coordinated civic enforcement push to reclaim pedestrian pathways and improve urban accessibility.
Special Saturday drives planned to stop re-encroachment
To ensure that cleared spaces are not occupied again, the civic body has announced that dedicated enforcement drives will now be conducted every Saturday. These recurring operations are expected to help maintain pressure on repeat violators and discourage fresh encroachments on public footpaths.
The move signals a more sustained approach from GHMC, rather than a one-time demolition exercise, with authorities aiming to keep major city walkways accessible in the long run.
GHMC says pedestrian safety remains top priority
GHMC officials said the crackdown forms part of the civic body’s broader effort to make Hyderabad’s roads safer and more pedestrian-friendly. Footpath encroachments have remained a long-standing urban issue, particularly in commercial and hospital areas, where blocked walkways often push pedestrians into moving traffic.
Authorities said the initiative is intended to ensure safer, obstruction-free movement for residents and commuters, especially in crowded public zones where pedestrian access is critical.
