HYDRAA razes illegal bldgs at Chinnari Kunta in Alwal

Hyderabad: To protect water bodies and prevent flooding, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) demolished illegal structures on the Chinnari Kunta, located in Alwal on Thursday. The authorities demolished three buildings constructed on the Full Tank Level of the lake.

According to local residents, the buildings were obstructing the natural flow of rainwater into the Chinnari Kunta lake. During heavy rains, this blockage had caused waterlogging and inundation of houses in the surrounding colonies.

The residents approached the authorities and alleged that due to construction, the water that flows from surrounding localities into the tank during rains was being stopped, resulting in inundation of the houses in the colonies.

Following the complaints, HYDRAA officials conducted a detailed verification of the site. Upon confirming that the structures were indeed built within the protected FTL limits, the authorities proceeded with the demolition drive on Thursday.

According to officials, it was being built unauthorisedly on the ‘full tank level’ area of Chinnari Kunta. The encroacher, violating the norms of the water bodies, built the structure.

Earlier on Wednesday, based on the complaints about illegal soil dumping in the lake under the pretext of HYDRAA’s name, HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath clarified that those involved had already been warned. He assured residents that the soil would be removed within a week and warned of legal action if the clearance was not completed on time.

The Bum-Rukn-ud-Dowla Lake, originally spread across 18 acres, had tragically shrunk due to encroachments, with nine acres filled with soil. Officials from HYDRAA are now actively working to remove the illegal filling and restore the lake to its original 18-acre span.

Ranganath also reviewed options for reopening the lake’s outlet to improve water flow, ensuring proper water flow during monsoon.