HYDRAA demolishes illegal structures around Bum-Rukn-ud-Dowla Lake

Hyderabad: Enforcement teams from the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), together with Cyberabad police and engineering officials, demolished illegal structures constructed in the Bum-Rukn-ud-Dowla Lake in Shivrampally near Kings Colony (Shastripuram) on Saturday.

HYDRAA recovers 10 acres

Apart from that, the enforcement teams from the HYDRAA also demolished an under-construction building, compound walls in an unauthorised layout and illegal constructions in the Erla Cheruvu in Chandanagar.

Through this enforcement drive, the HYDRAA recovered around 10 acres of land related to the Full Tank Level (FTL) capacity of Bum-Rukn-ud-Dowla Lake, the officials said.

Meanwhile, when the demolition drive was underway amid heavy deployment of police, AIMIM legislator Mohammed Mubeen along with others tried to stop the demolition. The police prevented the MLA and others and took them into custody.

HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath was present at the spot and the area around demolition site was sealed. He said that the agency had begun an enforcement drive to demolish the unauthorised structures in the FTL buffer zones under the tri-cities of Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Cyberabad, following a series of complaints from the public.

“We will demolish all the illegal structures and under-construction buildings if the realtors and builders take up the construction activities in the buffer zones and FTL limits. Not only on the realtors and builders but legal action will also be taken on the government officials and individuals if they support the construction of illegal structures in the tri-cities,” he said.

Ranganath further said that he had been to NRSC (National Remote Sensing Centre) Balanagar. The director NRSC Prakash Chauhan showed us a Power Point presentation. "As per their data, between 1979-2024 in 45 years, lakes extent in and Hyderabad has reduced by 61 per cent. So lakes remaining extent is just 39 per cent. Very alarming situation," he said.

Be cautious while purchasing properties

Ranganath advised the people to be cautious while purchasing house sites, apartments, individual houses and other properties under 30 metres of the buffer zone near the lakes.

Especially, the public would face a huge loss if they get attracted to low prices and purchase the land, house sites and apartments. For queries, the public could visit the HYDRAA office at the Buddha Bhavan, Hyderabad.

Steps are also being taken to develop a special website to enlighten the public about the steps to be followed to avoid purchasing land, house sites and apartments in illegal sites.

The HYDRAA commissioner also appealed to the public and voluntary organisations to come forward and report illegal structures and under-construction buildings in the buffer zones near the lakes.