HYDERABAD: In a fresh demolition drive, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA), on Friday, brought down 13 villas that officials claimed had illegally been constructed on Neknampur Lake in Manikonda.
Each of the villas — six of them complete and the remaining under-construction — spanning 400 square yards, have been designed as G+2 structures.
The demolition followed an inspection of the site carried out by HYDRAA commissioner, AV Ranganath, on Thursday.
“These villas, constructed on land within the Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zones of the Neknampur Lake in Manikonda, were demolished by the Manikonda municipality and irrigation authorities last year. Yet, the builders resumed construction shortly afterwards, prompting HYDRAA to take further action,” Ranganath said, expressing frustration over the continued violations despite cancellation of permits for construction in the area.
He said the developers were also issued multiple warnings that were ignored.
The demolition that began on Friday morning continued for three hours.
Madhulika Chaudhary, an environmentalist, who was involved in the renovation of the lake, said, “This is the first that these six fully completed villas have been demolished completely. Previously, only a portion of it was pulled down which allowed the developers to rebuild,” she said.
Chaudhary also requested the commissioner to demarcate the full extent of the FTL across the 108 acres of Neknampur Lake to prevent further encroachments.
