Khajaguda rocks turn vice den, HMDA begins work on limiting access to motorists, visitors

HMDA begins work to fence Khajaguda rock formation; instead of fencing perimeter, road to temple and Dargah of Baba Fakruddin will be fenced. Vandals tried to gain entry by breaking one of the locks but failed. Temple volunteers have deployed an earthmover to create a trench and dumped rocks to prevent vehicles from entering. Fencing the periphery is key to protect rocks; govt should take firm stance. Society to Save Rocks has filed petition in HC to ensure rock formation not destroyed.

After more than a year’s hiatus, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has begun work to fence Khajaguda rock formation. But instead of fencing the perimeter to protect the rock formation, it is going to fence the road to the temple with another path to the Dargah of Baba Fakruddin and the cave of Avatar Meher Baba. The southern approach road also has a gate and partial fencing.  

“The gate has been installed by the three religious bodies that share space on the upper part of the hillock. The area was thronged by people who would come to booze, party and litter the space. They would drive right to the edge of the rock formation,” said Ritwik Reddy of Save Khajaguda Rocks, who has been liasoning with the HMDA officials to get the fencing project executed.  

“Fencing the perimeter is the key. Cordoning off the road will limit access to trekkers and people who come to admire the rock formations,” said Mr. Reddy.

“Not just a gate we should set up a checkpoint at the entrance so that nobody with liquor bottles is allowed to drive their vehicles up the hill. This is a sacred place,” said a volunteer working for the temple that has come up recently on the hillock. One of the rocks is now littered with broken liquor bottles.

The day the gate was installed with three locks, vandals tried to gain entry by breaking one of the locks but could not succeed. They displaced the fencing and gained entry. The temple volunteers have deployed and earthmover to create a trench and dumped some rocks so that the western part of the rock formation is no longer drivable.  

“Fencing the periphery is the only thing that can help protect the rocks. The government should take a firm stance and do it. Fencing the path is just eye-wash and it will not serve any purpose,” said Frauke Quader of Society to Save Rocks.   

 “There have been multiple attempts to fence the periphery but they were given up due to resistance and litigation by property owners. The only place they managed to do it is a stretch near the dargah,” says Mr. Reddy showing a barbed-wire fence on the edge of a rock on the southern side.