Litigations between property owners and their tenants have hampered work of the Metro Rail in core areas in the city. The demolition of properties for road-widening in places like Chikkadpally, Mushe-erabad, Sultan Bazaar, Greenlands, Ameerpet and Sri Krishna Nagar for the Metro works is being delayed on account of this.
Despite the Metro Rail officials readying cheques to pay compensation for property owners, they could not distribute them due to the ongoing litigation with tenants, who are refusing to vacate the premises, arguing that their livelihood will be hit. Most of the tenants have been running businesses in these areas for decades. The attractive compensation being offered by Hyderabad Metro Rail officials to owners who would lose their properties on account of the demolition, is creating a rift between the owners and the tenants in the city.
The owners of old buildings in densely populated localities, in smaller plots, which comparatively have less resale value, sees the HMR compensation of up to Rs 50,000 per sq yard, as an oppurtunity. While some owners have come forward to claim compensation, the tenants who are running businesses in these premises are reluctant to vacate them and some are approaching courts over the issue. In some cases, owners are not in a position to evict the tenants who have occupied the premises for decades.
“We are trying to address the problems being faced by the tenants too. We have planned a huge shopping complex in Putlibowli to accommodate all the traders who will lose their shops on account of road widening. We will plan a similar complex in Chikkadpally too,” said Mr N.V.S. Reddy, the managing director, HMR.