Hyderabad: Vantage Sri Aditya Luxury Towers in Narsingi under scanner after evidence points to construction inside Musi

Hyderabad: A luxury housing project in Narsingi is under the scanner after Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) found evidence suggesting construction inside the Musi river flood plain.

The Vantage Sri Aditya Luxury towers, officials say, not only aggravated flooding on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) during recent rains but also pose a long-term threat to flood safety in the area.

ORR and Cycle track turned into water channel

The downpour last week, intensified by the release of Osmansagar waters, turned the ORR stretch near Narsingi into a lake. Service roads and even the Solar Roof Cycle Track went underwater.

Police and HYDRAA teams had to rescue stranded commuters, an alarming situation attributed to unchecked construction activity.

HYDRAA finds project inside Musi flood plain

As part of its mapping of the Musi river course, HYDRAA received specific complaints about the project encroaching on the riverbed. Commissioner AV Ranganath, who led an inspection, confirmed the violation.

“Floodwater from the Musi has already entered the cellar of the towers. This is a disaster waiting to happen if residents occupy these buildings,” he warned.

Retention bund and illegal bridge exposed

Investigations revealed that the builder attempted to hold back inflows with a retention bund, but water still breached the site. Even more startling, officials found that the developer had constructed a private bridge across the Musi, a facility that only government agencies are permitted to build.

The project, spread over 38,343 sq. metres with four towers, also raised alarm for dumping material in the buffer zone and altering natural gradients by raising surface levels.

Approvals under cloud

Though the developer claims to have obtained approvals, HYDRAA has announced it will re-examine every clearance against flood safety norms. Drone and video evidence have been collected to support the probe.

Adding to the controversy, another villa project by the same company has surfaced in the vicinity, intensifying fears of large-scale riverbed encroachment.