Legally permitted structures safe from demolitions: HYDRA

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRA) assured on Sunday, October 20 that all real estate ventures with legally valid permissions have nothing to fear amid circulating rumours of potential demolitions near lakes. The agency clarified that reports claiming they would dismantle legally permitted structures are false.

HYDRA emphasized that chief minister Revanth Reddy has explicitly stated no structures with valid permissions will be demolished, and the agency will strictly follow this directive.

The HYDRA demolition drive at Kukatpally, Hyderabad, reclaimed four acres of the lake. The total area of the lake is 27 acres but about seven acres in FTL and buffer zone were encroached. The officials claimed that the structures used for residential purposes were not demolished.

In Kistareddypet, encroachments were removed from government land. Three RCC structures used for commercial operations were demolished to reclaim one acre.

At Patelguda in the same mandal, encroachments were removed from government land. A total of 25 RCC structures were pulled down to reclaim three acres.

GHMC enables HYDRA to protect public assets in Hyderabad

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has officially given its nod to enable the commissioner of HYDRA to protect public assets like roads, drains, public streets, water bodies, open spaces and public parks belonging to the GHMC or the state government within the jurisdiction of GHMC (around 650 sq km).

On October 16, principal secretary of municipal administration and urban development (MAUD), Dana Kishore, issued a government order and gazette notification under Section 374B of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955, recently amended by a state ordinance.

“It is considered essential that the services of Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) can be engaged for effective protection of all public assets within GHMC as protection of such assets would be helpful in Disaster mitigation efforts and the HYDRAA being specialised agency for both Disaster Management and Asset Protection can take care of both the issues,” read the government order.