Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection (HYDRA) on Sunday, August 18, initiated a demolition drive targeting illegal constructions in the Full Tank Level and buffer zone of Gandipet Lake.
Two illegal buildings were razed and a few locals protesting the demolition were arrested. Further details regarding the incident are awaited.
The buildings, including the apartments, were found to be non-compliant with land-use norms near Gandipet Lake.
Earlier, on August 12 HYDRA commissioner AV Ranganath said, “We have a list of encroachers and those who are disposing of waste in the dried lakes in various parts of Hyderabad. A large amount of properties in these areas belong to politicians and grabbers.”
“These constructions have been done without obtaining no objection certificates (NOC). The encroachment is happening at a large scale but we are targeting those responsible for enabling it,” assured Ranganath.
“HYDRA has been allocated at a budget of Rs 200 crore and we are taking strict action against encroachments,” said Ranganath.
The HYDRA commissioner stated that the government is promoting real estate on a large scale, but it has not permitted the construction of residential buildings around water bodies or by encroaching depleted lakes in Hyderabad.
“The constructions can be done at allotted spaces and not in designated government land or public spaces. We haven’t checked the Hussain Sagar Lake, however, there are several complaints of encroachment there so we will definitely take it up moving forward,” the HYDRA commissioner said.
As HYDRA tightens its grip on encroachments around lakes in Hyderabad, the GHMC has decided to rejuvenate 47 lakes in Hyderabad across six zones. The focus will be on rejuvenating the lakes in Hyderabad by protecting, conserving, and beautifying them.
The lakes in Hyderabad have been divided into three groups for the upgrade. Package 1, with a budget of Rs 61.40 crore, will cover seven lakes in the Khairatabad zone. Package 2, costing Rs 45.88 crore, will address 26 lakes in the Kukatpally and Serilingampally zones. Package 3, with Rs 54.07 crore allocated, will focus on 14 lakes in the LB Nagar, Secunderabad, and Charminar zones.
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