HYDRAA razes illegal structures in Kukatpally amid public outcry

The HYDRAA teams claimed that 16 commercial sheds and compound walls that were constructed after encroaching upon the ‘Nalla Cheruvu’ were demolished.

Hyderabad: Heart-wrenching scenes were witnessed during the demolition drive undertaken by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) in the city on Sunday.

At Kukatpally, the HYDRAA teams claimed that 16 commercial sheds and compound walls that were constructed after encroaching upon the ‘Nalla Cheruvu’ were demolished.

Emotional scenes were witnessed at Kukatpally after the HYDRAA teams started razing down the sheds.

In several videos making rounds on social media platforms, the families were seen pleading with the personnel not to take away their belongings and allow them to earn their livelihood decently. The families were seen falling on the feet of the officials and begging them to let proceed with their livelihoods. Several kitchens were running from the sheds and many people were employed there.

“We prepare meals and supply to mess and functions. At least if we were informed by authorities in advance, some alternative arrangements could have been made. We are all of a sudden thrown on roads,” complained a woman victim.

The families argued they are staying for years at the place and earning out their livelihood. “If the only source of income is snatched away, everything is gone. Why did the officials keep mum when the structures were coming up? Everyone knows who are all involved at government level and even the HYDRAA officials are aware of it but no action will be taken against them,” lamented a man who lay down on the floor and wept in front of a structure.

Another man, who was staying at one of the shed, said his wife is seven months pregnant and the authorities have thrown them on roads. “At least we should have been informed about the demolition in advance. We would ourselves have vacated the place and gone to a safer place,” he said.

On the other hand, HYDRAA Commissioner, AV Ranganath said some individuals had built large sheds alongside the boundary of the lake for extensive commercial activities, such as catering businesses which include kitchens for catering orders. “Workers associated with these activities reside on the premises, and those structures had been removed,” he said.

At Ameenpur mandal of Sangareddy district, the authorities demolished 28 buildings constructed on government land for commercial purpose. Three RCC structures used for commercial operations at Kistareddypet while at Patelguda a total of 25 RCC buildings were constructed by the builder for the purpose of commercial operations after encroaching the government land. Hence these were demolished, said Ranganath.

A total of eight acres of land was reclaimed following the operation.