Yet another blow to Hyderabad’s rock heritage

Khajaguda rock flattened with mud and debris

The billions of years old Khajaguda rock formation’s western edge has been filled with rubble and debris over the past month.

While a road has been laid on the southern side, and the eastern side has been blasted to make way for apartments, the newest activity has destroyed one of the few wild paarijatam (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis) groves.

Trekkers, who visit the rocks on weekends, were surprised to note the disappearance of rocks, and found rock formations filled with soil. “First, one rock formation was destroyed during the lockdown. This dumping of mud and soil is happening at night. I think we lost about 60 wild paarijatam trees and 200 other trees, besides the habitat of countless creatures,” said Arun Vasireddy who has been trekking and documenting the rock formation for the past decade.