Hyderabad: Hydra bulldozers are set to begin the demolition of encroachments at Himayat Sagar within the next two days. The Water Board has submitted a comprehensive report to Hydra regarding the encroachments, and Hydra Chief Ranganath has conducted a meeting with senior officials to formulate an action plan.
On Thursday, Ranganath met with high-ranking officials at the Secretariat, where Chief Secretary Shantikumari briefed him on the details of the encroachments at Himayat Sagar. Authorities have identified a total of 83 encroachments, including farmhouses belonging to former central ministers, prominent businessmen, and political leaders, along with various other structures.
The identified encroachments consist of houses, sheds, temporary constructions, and 10 permanent structures, including compound walls. Hydra has assured that it is proactively addressing the demolition process with senior officials, recalling that Himayat Sagar was constructed on the Eisa River in 1927 in response to the floods of 1908.
Last month, 24 encroachments covering an area of 15 acres were successfully removed from the boundaries of Chilukuru and Khanapur villages in Gandipet. Once a primary drinking water source for Hyderabad alongside Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar has faced encroachment issues due to population growth and the subsequent availability of water from the Krishna and Godavari rivers.