HYDERABAD: "/12-1208/A/1/2814" is neither a classified code nor an 18-digit password. It is the house number allotted to a flat in a gated community under the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) limits.
Residents say the numbering pattern is so confusing that it is nearly impossible to remember. Around 700 flats in the gated community were allegedly assigned irregular house numbers without any sequence. Homeowners alleged that civic staff are demanding ₹5,000 from each owner to correct the numbers.
The alleged racket is said to be widespread across the CMC limits.
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Residents face difficulties after registrations
Since October 2022, new property registrations have been linked to the generation of house numbers and PTINs (Property Tax Identification Numbers). During this process, authorities have reportedly been issuing combinations of English letters, symbols and numbers as house numbers.
Even adjacent houses have been allotted unrelated numbers. Residents said sub-registrars have been distancing themselves from the issue, claiming the software automatically generates the numbers.
While some municipalities are correcting the numbers issued during registrations, others are asking residents to submit separate applications for corrections.
The issue has affected apartment complexes, gated communities and individual houses alike. According to estimates, nearly 3 lakh property owners across three municipal corporations are facing the problem.
Residents alleged that if each homeowner pays ₹5,000 for corrections, the illegal collections could total nearly ₹150 crore.
Citizens demand automatic corrections
Residents expressed anger over what they described as arbitrary numbering by the government, followed by alleged bribery demands to rectify the same issue.
They demanded that authorities launch a special online drive or organise grievance camps similar to property tax resolution camps to correct house numbers without additional charges.
Questions over lack of logical numbering system
Residents pointed out that older house numbering systems were based on district, mandal, division, street, apartment name or gated community details. Older house numbers in areas under the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) still allow easy identification of the locality and follow a sequential pattern.
Citizens questioned why authorities are no longer adopting a meaningful and systematic numbering process.