HYDRA Demolishes Encroachments On Secunderabad Nalas

HYDRA officials today carried out demolition drives in the Secunderabad area since the early morning, removing encroachments from the Nala catchment area in the Begumpet Patni limits.

This is the first time that HYDRA has conducted demolitions within the Cantonment Board limits.

HYDRA Commissioner A V Ranganath and Cantonment CEO Madhukar Naik inspected the Rasoolpura Nala. Following their inspection and orders, the demolition staff swung into action and, in coordination with the Cantonment administration, removed the illegal structures.

Speaking to the media, Ranganath said that a special drive had been launched to remove encroachments on nalas across the city. He would focus on this issue for the next four months and a special study would be conducted in areas where floodwaters stagnated, he said. Strict action would be taken against encroachments on water bodies and canals, and illegal commercial buildings on canals would be demolished, he said.

Cases involving illegal constructions by the poor would be brought to the attention of the State government, he said.

The Congress government established HYDRA about a year after coming to power, and the agency has since demolished many illegal structures in an effort to protect Hyderabad from urban encroachments. However, HYDRA's actions have also sparked political debate.