HYDRAA move against Pradeep Constructions raises questions of selective targeting

HYDRAA’s decision to cancel permissions for Pradeep Constructions’ 17-storey ‘Bliss’ project near Hussain Sagar has sparked allegations of selective targeting. While the agency claims the building falls within the Full Tank Level zone, several adjoining hotels, colonies and complexes at similar proximity have been left untouched, raising questions over consistency in enforcement.

Hyderabad: The recent declaration by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) that a multi-storeyed building constructed by Pradeep Constructions is falling within Full Tank Level (FTL) of Hussain Sagar lake and that all permissions were being cancelled, stands as the best example of selective targetting of realtors, who do not tow its line.

The attempt to describe the high-rise project of Pradeeep Constructions project as falling in the FTL of Hussain Sagar raises several questions. While incorrectly marking the 17-storeyed project as illegal the HYDRAA has conveniently ignored several other adjoining projects.

---

If one were to go by the HYDRAA logic, the popular Hotel Park and the thickly populated BS Maktha colony, Necklace Road railway station and scores of other constructions too should be marked as falling under the FTL and acted upon. However, for some inexplicable reason HYDRAA has selectively targetted the single project.

The HYDRAA officials seem to have ignored another crucial aspect. Going by the logic on which Pradeep Constructions project was declared illegal, the office of the HYDRAA situated in Buddha Bhavan should also be declared illegal as it is also located at the same distance from the Hussain Sagar lake on the other side (towards Secunderabad). So is the Necklace road railway station.

Incidentally, the construction on this project, titled “Bliss” began six years ago, and 17 floors have already been completed. Two days ago, the HYDRAA officials swooped down on the place and announced that the apartment project fell within the Hussain Sagar Full Tank Level (FTL) zone and that its permits were being revoked.

Interestingly, the star hotel ‘Hotel Park’ is right next to the project in contention. In fact, this hotel is a bit nearer to the Hussain Sagar lake, but that was not apparently a matter of consideration for the HYDRAA, which considers this building as a legal entity. 

Similar is the case with the Necklace Road along with the century-old railway track adjacent to it, which do not fall within the FTL zone. So is the case with three other large apartment complexes being built by prominent developers nearby that were also considered legal.

A low-income settlement, BS Maktha Colony, located even closer to the lake than this apartment complex, is home to nearly 20,000 residents. If HYDRAA claims the Pradeep Constructions site falls within the FTL zone, then, by the same logic, the entire BS Maktha area could also face demolition under the same pretext. This lends credence to the argument that the HYDRAA is selectively acting against realtors, industry observers say.