Hydraa demolition: Uncleared demolition debris sparks outrage, RWAs demand swift debris removal
HYDRAA faces criticism in Hyderabad as demolition debris from anti-encroachment drives remains uncleared at multiple sites, raising health and environmental concerns, prompting RWAs and activists to demand urgent cleanup and better land restoration
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (Hydraa) is facing criticism from Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and environmentalists over tonnes of uncleared demolition debris that is getting piled up at various locations in the city over the past several months.
The debris has been languishing at sites where Hydraa demolished apartments, multi-storeyed buildings, temporary shelters and other infrastructure that encroached on park land, as well as on land approved in layouts, government land, private land and endowment land.
After carrying out the demolitions, Hydraa puts up fencing at the retained land properties. However, heaps of debris generated during the demolition were left at the sites over several months, posing a health risk to locals and surrounding colonies.
For instance, near Madhura Nagar metro at Yellareddyguda, in June, 2025, Hydraa demolished several encroachments on 1,533 square yards designated as park land and retained it. Since then, the debris was not cleared and it got piled up.
Locals while appreciative of Hydraa initiative in removal of encroachments and freeing park land from the encroachers however expressed dismay at the dumps of debris left at the site. “Hydraa teams demolished and left without the debris being cleared which is causing inconvenience to us,” a resident said.
In another incident, Hydraa recently demolished encroachments, including five buildings under construction and two small-room structures, at Shastripuram Colony in Mailardevpally on 6,500 square yards designated as playground land. Tonnes of demolition waste was not cleared and remain piled up at the site.
Meanwhile, the RWAs suggest Hydraa should start using lung spaces after reclaiming them from encroachers, either for building new parks or for some other government institutions.
City-based environmentalists raise alarm over massive piles of demolition debris accumulating at the sites, saying it caused significant environmental issues and health risks. They demanded that Hydraa authorities clear the debris on a war footing.
