Hyderabad: The city has a new “Bulldozer Baba” in Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who is sending a chill down the spine of encroachers of lakes, water bodies, parks and other public spaces.
Never in the past, scores of newly constructed and under construction buildings in lake’s Full Tank Level (FTL), buffer zones and other illegal encroachments are ruthlessly demolished in early morning swoop in and around Hyderabad, sending shockwaves among encroachers, builders, political leaders and officials.
Backed by the Chief Minister, the person undertaking the demanding task is senior IPS officer A V Ranganath, who heads the newly renamed and reconstituted Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection (HYDRA). He is the new demolition man of Hyderabad.
HYDRA has targeted many big builders and influential people and pulled down villas, commercial and other structures, receiving wide acclaim from the public in the past few days. His actions have created a sensation and are appreciated by all right-thinking people.
Protecting water bodies
Protection of lakes, water-bodies, nalas and government land in the 2,000 square kilometre of the city’s region will be HYDRA’s responsibility. In addition, regulation of hoardings and flexi banners; attending to emergencies relating to drinking water pipelines, drainage lines and power distribution lines; regulation of traffic; and flood management will be part of the department’s brief.
The Chief Minister directed Chief Secretary A Santhi Kumari to prepare a draft proposal towards restructuring the department, delineating the staff requirements, duties, funding and responsibilities.
Ranganath begins his job
Ranganath, with a team of officials and demolition equipment, began the arduous task of demolition of illegal encroachments in lake beds Chinta Cheruvu, Gajularamaram, Chandanagar, Nizampet, Bahadurpura, Gandipet and other places. He is the new demolition man of Hyderabad.
Though there had been opposition at some places from builders, local leaders and MLAs, Ranganath took police protection and carried out the operation swiftly. Cases have been booked against Congress MLA Danam Nagender for aiding and abetting the demolition of the GHMC wall in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad.
Earlier, MIM MLA Kausar Mohiuddin was detained by police when he tried to obstruct the demolition of illegal structures in the heritage lake of Bum-Rukn-Ud-Dowla in Shashtripuram near Rajendranagar, RR District. He denied obstructing demolition.
“Wrongdoers should be scared to construct houses, buildings in buffer zones and Full Tank Levels. Only unscrupulous elements are feared but not honest dwellers. We have recovered 100 acres of land in 20 lakes. There are 60 per cent, 80 per cent and 100 per cent encroachments in some lake beds. Though courts have given orders, they remained on paper. As long as it is on paper, it will have no effect on the wrong doers. They should feel the consequences of constructing buildings in prohibited areas. We took the first step on Chintacheruvu where 56 illegal structures were pulled down,” Ranganath told the media.
In Erla Cheruvu in Chandanagar Circle, the villas had both GHMC building permissions and NOCs (No Objection Certificate) to undertake constructions. On an average, over 100 complaints are being received.
He further explained HYDRA took the help of NRSA data satellite images, revenue records, ground reality and all available information before carrying out demolition of illegal structures in FTL and Buffer Zones. HYDRA has specially deputed teams from GHMC, HMDA, HMWSSB, city traffic police and other departments.
Delhi’s famous demolition man
Alphons Kannathanam, a 1979 batch IAS officer from Kerala cadre became famous as Delhi’s Demolition Man when he was Commissioner of the Delhi Development Authority. He had cleared DDA areas of encroachment, removing around 15,000 illegal buildings.
This got him listed in Time Magazine’s list of 100 Young Global Leaders in 1994. He joined the BJP and became Union Minister of State. Hyderabad’s demolition man Ranganath is following suit.
As per the available data in GHMC, there are 185 lakes besides 400 lakes within the Outer Ring Road (ORR). National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) data has found that between 1979 and 2024 (45 years), water bodies in and around Hyderabad have shrunk by 61 per cent.
Buildings in GO 111 areas
Hyderabadis were stunned to see videos of under-construction projects of Greenko Group, Oro Sports Village, Palamuru Grill and others worth hundreds of crores of rupees were razed to the ground in a jiffy in the buffer zone of Osman Sagar.
Two major sources of drinking water from the Nizam era, Osman Sagar (Gandipet) and Himayat Sagar, which come under GO 111, have seen massive illegal constructions for a decade or more.
Former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao promised to do away with the GO 111 in the run-up to the elections, promising that it would take all steps to prevent pollution of the lakes and prepare a master plan before permitting any activity.
BRS leaders claimed that since the two lakes, which once met the drinking water needs of the Twin Cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, were no longer utilised since it is banking on Krishna and Godavari waters there was no need for GO 111.
This election promise has triggered massive constructions around the lakes and new ventures have begun to sprout. Water bodies are swallowed by land sharks with impunity, resulting in lakes shirking drastically in and around Hyderabad and neighbouring districts.
GO 111 was enacted to safeguard the catchment areas responsible for diverting water to Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar. The designated catchment areas are classified as Bio Conservation Zones. The GO explicitly prohibits any form of construction within a 10 km radius of both Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar.
This prohibition extends to industrial facilities, commercial establishments, restaurants, or any other structures that have the potential to pollute the water and air in the area. The objective is to maintain the pristine condition of these water bodies and preserve the ecological balance of their surroundings.
No scrapping of GO 111
Immediately after taking charge, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy put the Airport Metro corridor on the back burner and also kept on hold the repeal of the contentious GO 111.
The Chandrasekhar Rao-led government repealed the GO last year but did not give effect to its replacement, Government Order 63 talked of framing guidelines for allowing change of land use from conservation zone to residential and commercial or multipurpose.
Many people have purchased lands in GO 111 areas in the hope that it will be scrapped. The price of land per square yard and acre in GO 111 was also low due to restrictions.
However, Ranganath demolished many under-construction structures including apartments, sports village, food courts, and commercial establishments in the Gandipet area with operations beginning early morning at 6 am and tasks completed by evening with heavy demolition machinery. Those who tried to obstruct were taken into custody by police.
A criminal case was filed against an ex-sarpanch for granting unauthorised permits for the construction of illegal structures though he has no authority. Permissions have to be given by the panchayat secretary.
HYDRA has decided to take legal action against realtors and builders who undertake structures in FTL, buffer zones and other prohibited areas besides officials and others who are cooperating with them.
He advises property buyers to ascertain documents, get a legal opinion and avoid those within 30 metres of a lake’s boundary which is a buffer zone.
While the demolition of illegal structures is on, the action against those involved in such acts including officials who turned a blind eye or provided tacit support is worth watching.
