Govt transfers powers from GHMC to HYDRAA to give it more teeth to prevent encroachments

The HYDRAA was set up by the state government on July 12 through an executive order to take up demolition of illegal structures and houses that came up on water bodies in and around Hyderabad

The Congress government in Telangana has issued orders transferring powers from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) for effective protection of all public assets within the corporation limits.

Since the powers of issuing notices to illegal structures and demolishing them had hitherto been vested with the GHMC, the HYDRAA authorities have been facing legal issues in courts as it has no such statutory powers. (HT Photo)

The HYDRAA was constituted by the state government on July 12, 2024 through an executive order to take up demolition of illegal structures and houses that came up on water bodies in and around Hyderabad. Since the powers of issuing notices to illegal structures and demolishing them had hitherto been vested with the GHMC, the HYDRAA authorities have been facing legal issues in courts as it has no such statutory powers.

To overcome this legal hurdle, principal secretary (municipal administration and urban development) M Dana Kishore on Wednesday issued a gazette notification transferring powers from the GHMC to the HYDRAA to prevent encroachment of public assets.

In the context of growing urbanisation, there is an increased vulnerability of these public assets from encroachments. Protection of these public assets has assumed greater significance, as most of these assets have been lung spaces for the city environs, useful for future recreational and essential community needs as well as Indispensable to mitigate climate change effects, Kishore said.

“It is imperative that these valuable assets need to be protected with proper attention and constant surveillance, which can be possible by a specialised agency with professional approach, like HYDRAA,” he said.

Kishore said protection of such assets would be helpful in disaster mitigation efforts and the HYDRAA being a specialised agency for both disaster management and asset protection can take care of both the issues.

“So, the powers vested with the GHMC under Section 374-B of the GHMC Act, 1955 are being transferred to the Commissioner, HYDRAA, who is hereby empowered to protect public assets like roads, drains, public streets, water bodies, open spaces, public parks, etc belonging to the GHMC or to the State government within the jurisdiction of GHMC, so as to preserve them from any kind of illegal encroachments, for the purpose of disaster management and protection of public assets,” the gazette notification added.

HYDRAA commissioner and senior IPS officer A V Ranganath said on Thursday that the gazette notification had given full powers to the agency. “We can now go ahead with the issuance of notices to the illegal structures and take up demolitions following a due process. The HYDRAA can now operate in Hyderabad as well as 27 surrounding municipalities,” he added.