A V Ranganath, Commissioner, Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), Saturday said his agency has redefined and reoriented the real estate sector of Hyderabad and that all efforts by vested interests, such as the land mafia, to derail the Agency’s work will not fructify. His statement comes following recent criticism from Opposition leaders who blamed HYDRAA for the ‘declining’ state of the real estate sector in Hyderabad.
“Earlier, many of the ventures were coming up near lakes and were encroaching upon lake lands. That will stop now and they will move away. This will ensure and promote sustainability. That’s why I say the real estate sector is being redefined and reoriented as they move away from water bodies,” Ranganath told indianexpress.com while dismissing allegations that the real estate of Hyderabad has suffered since the establishment of HYDRAA.
“All data including ones provided by GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) and HMDA (Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority) commissioners suggest that real estate has picked up in the last year. This negates all the statements made by vested interests,” he added.
Ranganath and HYDRAA have been severely criticised over the last five months for demolishing unauthorised structures, sometimes temporary dwellings of poor people, around water bodies and government lands. During this period, the Agency has reclaimed 200 acres of government land, including eight parks, 12 lakes, and four land parcels. It hit headlines when a portion of actor Nagarjuna’s N-Convention was demolished.
“We have identified 1,025 water bodies in and around Greater Hyderabad and are in the process of demarcation of full tank level (FTL) and buffer zones for lakes and (wider) nullahs. This will be completed in another four or five months. We are using a lot of technical data such as Survey of India toposheets, cadastral/village maps, revenue records, satellite images, and aerial images. Around 5,800 complaints were received till now and a majority of them have been disposed of.
“Identification of lake encroachments, illegal structures and dumping of debris and construction material will be done through satellite images, drone or aerial images, CCTV cameras installed at various vulnerable points,” Ranganath said during a media interaction.
According to him, 12 lakes where HYDRAA carried out demolitions are now being taken up for rejuvenation, and proposals regarding these have been submitted to the government. The establishment of a HYDRAA police station is also in the pipeline.
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Ranganath said HYDRAA will continue to protect lakes and government lands that are not encroached upon, revive lakes that are encroached upon, and demolish dwellings that have no permission or are unauthorised. “When we have to rejuvenate a lake, we have to go for removal of unauthorised structures. When we are removing some dwellings, we have to also provide rehabilitation as well. In case we have to remove any such dwellings, like in the case of Musi, we have to show some alternate accommodation and convince them, and only then go ahead with demolition. But in case of unauthorised commercial ventures, we can go ahead with demolition,” Ranganath said, adding the Agency is committed to protecting community assets.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
