Middle-class outrage over HYDRAA demolitions in Hyderabad

The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) is a government agency responsible for investigating illegal constructions around lakes in Hyderabad. Today, HYDRAA officials carried out demolitions of structures built in Full Tank Level (FTL) and Buffer Zones in areas such as Madhapur, Ameenpur, and Dundigal. However, these actions have sparked anger among the middle class. Many people are upset that the agency is targeting properties where families already reside, accusing HYDRAA of giving preferential treatment to influential individuals.

Several complaints have been raised by middle-class citizens claiming that they were not given notices about these demolitions, while influential people were granted time to address the issue. Addressing these concerns, HYDRAA chief AV Ranganath clarified that no occupied homes will be demolished, even if they are located in the FTL or Buffer Zones. He urged the public to avoid buying properties in these restricted areas and advised potential buyers to verify property details on the HMDA Lakes website or approach HYDRAA for clarification.

Ranganath further explained that only new constructions in the FTL or Buffer Zones would be demolished. The buildings in Madhapur, including Sunnam Cheruvu and Mallampet Cheruvu, as well as the Ameenpur area, were still under construction and did not have the required permissions. Among the structures demolished were seven villas in Dundigal’s Mallampet Cheruvu, all of which were unoccupied and built without proper authorization. The builder behind these illegal constructions, Vijay Lakshmi, locally known as “Lady Don,” has several criminal cases against her and is reportedly connected to political figures.

Despite the controversies, HYDRAA continues its efforts to remove illegal encroachments and protect the city’s water bodies from further damage caused by unauthorized developments.