FGG urges Telangana govt to establish functional Town Planning and Building Tribunal to address unauthorised constructions

The Forum for Good Governance (FGG) has called on the Telangana Government to establish a fully operational Town Planning and Building Tribunal in order to tackle unauthorized constructions and other infractions concerning building regulations in municipal areas. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on August 25, 2026, FGG chairman M. Padmanabha Reddy highlighted how unauthorized constructions were negatively impacting planned development and creating numerous difficulties for citizens.

He noted that municipal authorities frequently issue notices for the demolition of such structures, yet builders frequently seek court orders to halt the proceedings, enabling them to continue building despite violations of building and fire safety regulations. Mr. Reddy argued that the ongoing lack of a fully-functioning Building Tribunal was enabling builders to engage in unauthorized constructions.

A tribunal was established in 2016 to facilitate prompt action against such violations and ensure swift resolution of building-related legal matters, but no chairpersons or members have been appointed yet, according to Mr. Reddy. The FGG had previously sought the appointment of the chairperson and members of the Building Tribunal through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Telangana High Court.

The court had ordered the State Government to complete the process of setting up the tribunal within four weeks, but as of April 27, 2022, no action had been taken, and the issue remained unresolved for nearly a decade. Mr. Reddy urged the Chief Minister to intervene and ensure the immediate appointment of the chairperson and members, so that the tribunal could become operational and effectively handle town planning, enforcement, and building-related cases efficiently.