Hyderabad: Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Thursday inaugurated the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) police station at Buddha Bhavan, formally launching the state’s new initiative to reclaim encroached public lands and protect Hyderabad’s fragile urban ecosystem.
At the event, Reddy hit back at criticism that branded the Hydra unit as a demolition squad. That label, he said, was part of “a deliberate campaign of misinformation”. The unit’s real mandate, he insisted, was environmental—meant to defend government lands, lakes, and drainage channels from illegal occupation.
“HYDRAA is not about destruction—it’s about safeguarding Hyderabad’s future,” the chief minister told reporters. He pointed to the city’s worsening flood response as proof of urgency. “These days, even light rains leave colonies submerged. It’s a symptom of blocked drains, vanished lakes. We can’t afford more of this.”
The CM warned that Hyderabad risked following cities like Delhi and Chennai down a path of environmental collapse. “We’ve seen what unchecked urbanisation has done to Delhi—pollution, poor drainage, water crisis. Look at Bangalore’s water situation. We brought in Hydra to prevent Hyderabad from going that way.”
The newly established HYDRAA police station will serve as the enforcement arm of this project, staffed with six inspectors, a dozen sub-inspectors, and 30 constables. Their primary task: clear encroachments on government property, stormwater drains, and lake beds.
Recalling the historic floods of 1908, Revanth Reddy stressed how Hyderabad’s earlier rulers had responded by building Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar. That kind of proactive thinking, he said, was missing today. “Preserving water bodies isn’t optional. It’s the only way to avoid disaster.”
He didn’t hold back in criticising his political rivals either. Without naming names, he accused the BJP of double standards. “When the Yamuna or Sabarmati is cleaned, it’s hailed as a model. But when we take steps to revive the Musi, it becomes political,” he said.
Still, he struck a note of caution when it came to enforcement. He asked HYDRAA officials to be firm but humane, especially when dealing with economically vulnerable communities. “Use discretion. Talk to the government about rehabilitation options if needed,” he said. “But when it comes to big sharks – don’t hesitate.”
As he wrapped up, Revanth Reddy urged citizens to put aside political bias and think long-term. “You might dislike me, but don’t sabotage efforts to protect the city,” he said. “This isn’t about Revanth Reddy. It’s about Hyderabad’s future.”
హైదరాబాద్ వారసత్వ సంపదను కాపాడుకుంటూ, ఇక్కడి ప్రకృతిని పరిరక్షిస్తూ దీన్ని ఒక గొప్ప నగరంగా తీర్చిదిద్దాల్సిన అవసరం ఉందని ముఖ్యమంత్రి శ్రీ @revanth_anumula గారు చెప్పారు. సహజ వనరులు, సంపద కాలగర్భంలో కలిసిపోతున్న తరుణంలో ఈ నగరాన్ని పునరుద్ధరించాలన్న ఆలోచనతోనే హైడ్రాను… pic.twitter.com/qBCGph8jU1
— Telangana CMO (@TelanganaCMO) May 8, 2025