Hyderabad: Turncoat MLA from Serilingampally opposes HYDRAA demolitions in Madhapur

Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi opposed HYDRAA’s demolitions at Sunnam Cheruvu, alleging lack of proper survey and FTL boundary demarcation. He warned officials of escalation to CM Revanth Reddy if errors weren’t corrected. Similar protests were earlier led by Danam Nagender

Hyderabad: Following in the footsteps of Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender, Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi on Monday raised strong objections to the demolition of houses and structures by the Hyderabad Road Development and Aesthetic Authority (HYDRAA) at Sunnam Cheruvu in Madhapur.

Gandhi, who had quit the BRS and joined the Congress last year, criticised HYDRAA for initiating demolitions without conducting a proper technical survey or determining the Full Tank Level (FTL) limits of Sunnam Cheruvu.

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He pointed out that while HYDRAA was formed in 2024, representations regarding encroachments around the water body had been submitted since 2021, with photographs and boundary maps enclosed. “However, those boundaries have been ignored and altered, which is an unacceptable failure by officials of the GHMC, Revenue, and Irrigation departments,” he said while speaking to the media.

“I will ensure that the Revenue and Irrigation officials open their eyes. They will be taken to meet HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath, and a meeting will be held to resolve the issue. If the mistakes are corrected, well and good. If not, I will escalate the matter to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy,” Gandhi warned.

He added that residents had made nearly 200 phone calls since morning after HYDRAA began the demolitions. “By the time I reached the spot, the officials had left. The issue lies at one end of the lake, but the demolitions are being carried out at the other,” he said.

Explaining further, Gandhi said that in the past, rainwater from Navbharat Nagar, Madhapur, Kakatiya Hills, Kukatpally, and Jubilee Hills used to flow into Sunnam Cheruvu. However, these inflows have now been curtailed and the lake boundaries altered.

“Officials must first fix the actual boundaries of the lake. Residents of SIET Society have been complaining about these irregularities for the past 10 years. They have been demanding a resurvey ever since Irrigation officials committed errors in the earlier demarcation,” he said.

In January this year, Danam Nagender had also opposed HYDRAA’s demolition drive at Chintal Basthi, demanding that demolitions of houses belonging to the poor be halted.