Hyderabad: Clarifying the agency’s stand on various criticisms that it has faced off-late, HYDRA commissioner AV Ranganath on Wednesday, December 18, said that commercial and business buildings constructed without permits (like N Convention) will be demolished, regardless of the construction date, if they fall within the Full Tank Level (FTL). He added that the government will soon establish a HYDRA police station as well.
The statement comes a day after the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) head said that the agency will not demolish any structures for which permission was granted before July 2024. “If permits were granted and subsequently revoked, the structures become illegal. Even if they are residential, if construction continues after July 2024, they will be considered illegal and demolished. (Demolitions in Kathwa Cheruvu, Mallampet, and Ameenpur fall under this category),” said Ranganath in a press release.
The HYDRA commissioner even went on to say that demolitions will be carried out for any structure, regardless of its type, if there is a court order. He cited the examples of demolition of apartments under construction in Errakunta, Nizampet. Ranganath stated that any structure, whether permitted or not, will be demolished if it falls within the FTL after the establishment of HYDRA after July 19th, 2024.
HYDRA commissioner warns govt officials
He further warned government officials who granted such permits that they will also be held accountable. “HYDRA will demolish unpermitted commercial structures (like N Convention, farmhouses/resorts, etc.) within the FTL. HYDRA has already initiated the process of marking the FTL of lakes in Hyderabad. We are conducting this process transparently and will complete it soon,” the HYDRA commissioner stated.
He also said that HYDRA “strongly condemns the actions of land grabbers who prioritize the interests of the poor while secretly pursuing their own agendas”, citing demolitions in Chintal Cheruvu, Gajularamaram, and Sunnam Cheruvu in Madhapur, which fall under that. “We HYDRA will take strict legal action against the perpetrators and masterminds behind land grabbing,” Ranganath warned.
“After demolitions, HYDRA prioritizes the utilization of the land for public welfare. We have undertaken demolitions in 12 lakes and submitted proposals to the government for their restoration. We will commence work as soon as government approvals are received,” said Ranganath. He added that the state government is granting HYDRA various powers under different laws to strengthen it.
HYDRA was formed earlier this year in July by the state government and soon caused ripples after it began carrying out demolitions in FTLs of lakes. N Convention centre, owned by Tollywood actor Nagarjuna, was where demolitions were carried out initially, among other buildings. It was soon followed by demolitions of homes in several colonies, and other places, leading to a lot of criticism as well.
