FGG Urges CM Revanth Reddy to Make Municipal Building Tribunal Functional

The Forum for Good Governance (FGG) has urged Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to immediately appoint a chairperson and members to the long-dormant Municipal Building Tribunal (MBT) to curb the menace of unauthorised constructions across Hyderabad.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister on Tuesday, FGG president M Padmanabha Reddy highlighted that illegal and unplanned structures are severely hindering planned urban development while putting the safety of occupants and neighbours at risk through blatant violations of building and fire safety norms.

Padmanabha Reddy pointed out that civic authorities frequently face roadblocks when attempting to take enforcement action. Whenever municipal officials issue notices for demolition, builders often approach civil courts and obtain stay orders. A dedicated tribunal, he noted, is essential to check unauthorised constructions at the initial stage and ensure the speedy disposal of disputed cases.

Although the Municipal Building Tribunal was officially constituted in 2016, successive administrations have failed to appoint its chairperson and members, leaving the body entirely non-functional. Following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the FGG in 2019, the High Court had directed the state government in April 2022 to complete the appointment process within four weeks. However, the directive was not implemented, leaving the matter unresolved for nearly a decade.

To make the tribunal operational without further delay, the FGG suggested appointing a retired district judge as its chairperson and a serving senior town planning officer as the technical member.

The organisation also called on the state government to invite a fresh list of eligible candidates, noting that certain earlier nominees were facing vigilance inquiries and other pending cases.