HYDRAA created fear among encroachers and big builders and not common people: Telangana CM

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy during an Interview with the Hindu in Hyderabad on Thursday (November 07, 2024).
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy agrees that Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) created fear, but only among the encroachers and influential builders who have the wherewithal to fight the government for long. Common man is pretty happy, he asserted.

Mr. Reddy says he succeeded in the job of safeguarding public assets unlike the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders whose sole interest was personal financial gain. Unfortunately, some media tycoons are also encroachers and they want to undermine HYDRAA and spread falsehood.

“I know it is a bold decision that may hurt politically as the encroachers and big builders can fight for their illegal occupation. But mine is a conscious decision to save Hyderabad. Climate Change is a disaster we all are experiencing and someone has to bell the cat. In the process, some innocent people may suffer but we will ensure they are taken care of,” the Chief Minister said.

HYDRAA is another vertical of the governance to protect water bodies, lakes, buffer zone, nalas and their illegal occupation as the city expands.

DPR not yet finalized

On the constant criticism of the Musi Rejuvenation project, which is Mr. Reddy’s idea, he says it is a futuristic project where finances and DPR are not yet finalised. There is false propaganda against the huge project cost by the BRS. This is not like Kaleshwaram where the BRS government spent ₹1.2 lakh crore without a proper DPR.

Details will be presented in Assembly

The government will not spend but get the businesses to invest. We are drawing up the DPR with an international consultancy and the details will be presented in the Assembly for suggestions. “I am not like KCR. There is nothing secret like Kaleshwaram project,” he added.

Northern Hyderabad will be connected with Metro in third phase

On the expansion of the Metro Rail Project, he said the northern part of the city towards Medchal and towards Yadagiri Gutta will be covered in the third phase. “We have taken up 76 Kms in the second phase and it will be completed at the earliest,” he said.