The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on Saturday undertook the demolition of certain structures adjacent to the Lotus Pond residence of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in Hyderabad. A senior official from GHMC stated that the demolition was carried out to facilitate tiling work on the pavement in front of Reddy's residence.
The structures, which abutted the compound wall, were reportedly being used by security personnel, as reported by PTI. An earthmover was deployed to remove the four sheds, which were also used by officials from the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), a political consultancy firm. The decision to demolish these structures also followed complaints that their construction was causing traffic congestion and inconveniencing pedestrians.
This action by the GHMC comes shortly after the landslide victory of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and JanaSena. TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu, who recently took oath as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh on June 12, assumed office at the Amaravati Secretariat on Thursday.
In 2019, shortly after the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) came to power, the new Andhra Pradesh government insisted that former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu vacate his residence. In a series of actions that sparked considerable political and public attention, government officials demolished several structures at Naidu's residence, including the boundary wall, pantry, dining hall, toilets, and other constructions.
The demolition culminated with the razing of the main building of 'Praja Vedika,' a structure built by Naidu in 2017 for holding official meetings. The demolition took place mere hours after Jagan Mohan Reddy held his first meeting with district collectors and Superintendents of Police (SPs) at Praja Vedika.