HYDRAA has redefined real estate of Hyderabad: Ranganath

HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath addressing the media in Hyderabad on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G

HYDRAA not only reclaimed about 200 acres of encroachments, including 12 lakes, eight parks and even government land, in less than a year, but has also redefined and reoriented the real estate of Hyderabad,” said commissioner A.V. Ranganath.

Now, property buyers are well aware of crucial aspects such as buffer zones, Full Tank Level (FTL), notary patta, and increasingly exercising due diligence, he said while addressing the media on Saturday.

Introduced as per the National Disaster Management Act, the Enforcement, Vigilance and Disaster Management (EV&DM) of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) was renamed HYDRAA in July. It soon faced wide criticism for its war-footing demolition of some illegal structures and encroachments.

The agency was empowered through an ordinance to notify buffer zones, issue notices, survey FTLs, and act on encroachments, in October.

“But land-grabbers and vested interests, by using social media and poor people, are maligning HYDRAA. It’s a first-of-its-kind enforcement system in the country, and it is not against commoners or the poor,” he said as he disclosed the agency’s achievements so far and the road map for 2025.

According to Mr. Ranganath, one of its major roles is fixing FTL for lakes and demarcation of nala boundaries. This is done in collaboration with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Survey of India (SoI), and satellite agencies, and past studies to set up a transparent and authentic database. With SoI maps, about 1,025 water bodies have been identified.

The 12 lakes from where HYDRAA removed encroachments were being rejuvenated now and a proposal on it was submitted, he said, admitting that complaints were being investigated at a slow pace and based on priority, due to limited human resources, and some technical aspects.

HYDRAA FM radio?

Mr. Ranganath added that there is a proposal for a HYDRAA FM radio channel, a HYDRAA police station, strengthen the Disaster Response Force teams, increase Automatic Weather Stations, establish an additional doppler weather radar for accurate weather predictions, and an updated website as a one-stop authentic source of information against encroachments.

“All encroachments and illegal structures will be demolished, and misconceptions against HYDRAA will go eventually as people will slowly understand the objectives. The questions everyone need to ask are whether we should allow encroachment of our lakes, parks, roads, and any community asset,” he said.