Most Andhra pockets in city to lie outside common capital - Leaders Bat For HMDA Area As Capital To Allay Fears

Hyderabad: Ensuring the safety and security of Andhraites was one of the reasons for the Centre co-relating the joint capital region with the jurisdiction of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).However,the Union cabinet may have fallen short of its goal as scores of pockets where people from Seemandhra reside do not come under the GHMC limits.

According to sources,there are hundreds of residential colonies dominated by Andhraites in at least 20 gram panchayats outside the GHMC limits.For instance,Pragatinagar and Nizampet are adjoining areas of Kukatpally (that falls under GHMC limits ) but continue to be gram panchayats.Over 100 new colonies have come up in these panchayats during the past two decades.Because of its proximity to Hi-Tec City,Seemandhra people in huge numbers have settled down there, said an official.

Similarly,Manikonda and Puppalaguda gram panchayats are among the biggest Andhra pockets in the Hyderabad region and comprise around 200 to 300 colonies.The development in the area is mainly due to its proximity to Gachibowli,the financial district and Hi-Tec City.The land cost in this area is also higher than the other surrounding areas of the city, sources said. Apart from these,people from Seemandhra have also settled down in large numbers in the panchayats of Kompally, Gundla Pochampally, Bachupally, Dammaiguda,Narsingi,Peerzadiguda,Parvathapur,Shamshabad,Medipally,Boduppal,Jillelguda andMeerpet,all of which are outside the GHMC limits.According to sources,people from Seemandhra as well as other states settled down in these areas due to availability of low cost land.Similarly,due to the coming up of the IT campus in Pocharam,areas like Boduppal,Medipally,Peerzadiguda,Parvathapur and Rampally found themselves being filled with people from Seemandhra.

There are other issues too that the Union cabinet has not addressed.Hundreds of Seemandhraites living within the GHMC limits have acquired properties outside the municipal corporation limits,like inBachupally,Kompally,Ghatkesar,Narapally,Shamshabad,Kokapet,Maheshwaram and areas abutting the Outer Ring Road.Since these areas will come under the new Telangana government,there is some concern among the people about the safety and protection of their lands, sources said.

The Andhra pockets have developed mainly due to migration for employment,business and for providing education to children.As per the census published in January 2013,L B Nagar, Qutubullapur, Medchal, Uppal, Serilingampally and Rajendranagar assembly segments recorded the maximum number of new voters in Ranga Reddy district most of them were said to be natives of Seemandhra.

It is for these reasons that the Seemandhra Congress leaders are advocating extending the jurisdiction of the joint capital to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).All these areas too would come under the central rule if that happens.But in the framework cleared by the Union cabinet,the concerns of a large number of Seemandhra people remain unanswered.

(Source-toi)