HYDRAA Set To Get Legal Status and Key Powers of Other Govt Depts

Hyderabad: The state government has initiated the process to amend the Telangana Land Encroachment Act, 1905 in order to bolster the powers of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA). The move is intended to streamline and strengthen asset protection and disaster management in Telangana Core Urban Region (TCUR).

The Cabinet at its meeting on September 20 is set to clear the draft ‘Telangana Land Encroachment, 1905 (Amendment) Ordinance.’ Once cleared, the draft will be referred to the Governor for final approval.

The ordinance is expected to grant HYDRAA legal status and transfer several key powers held by other departments, such as revenue, irrigation, municipal, WALTA (Water, Land, and Trees Act) and fire services. The amendment will focus on revising specific sections of the existing Telangana Land Encroachment Act, including Section 1A and 7A.

HYDRAA is composed of three specialized wings — asset protection wing, disaster management wing and logistical support. Its primary responsibility is to safeguard government and local body assets like parks, lakes, playgrounds, land parcels and public roads, from encroachments.

In coordination with various local bodies like the GHMC, HMDA, irrigation and revenue departments and local police, HYDRAA plays a pivotal role in the removal of encroachments.

It is also responsible for inspecting private premises for compliance with building regulations, coordinating the removal of dilapidated structures that pose public safety risks and taking action against unauthorised advertisements that violate local body permissions. Real-time data sharing is a critical part of these activities. Another key role is disaster response and relief coordination through its Disaster Response Force (DRF).

In emergency cases, it collaborates with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) and other national and state agencies. HYDRAA is tasked with liaising with technical organisations such as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) to provide timely alerts to relevant departments.

The coordination of disaster response efforts involves multiple entities, including GHMC, HMWS&SB (Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board), HMR (Hyderabad Metro Rail), and TGSPDCL (Telangana State Power Distribution Corporation Limited). HYDRAA is also charged with maintaining a database for future disaster risk assessments and issuing fire NOCs under the Telangana Fire Services Act, 1999.

Currently, many of the responsibilities that HYDRAA seeks to assume are spread across several government departments, which operate under a range of legal frameworks.

To centralise these powers under HYDRAA, the state government will need to review and potentially amend several key legislations, including GHMC Act of 1955, TS-bPASS Act of 2020, HMDA Act of 2008 (Sections 8, 23A), Telangana Land Revenue Act (Section 1317F), Telangana Irrigation Act (Section 1317F), Telangana Land Encroachment Act of 1905 (Sections 3, 6, 7, 7A), WALTA Act of 2002, Telangana Fire Services Act of 1999 and Telangana Building Rules under GO 168

The state government’s proposed amendments are aimed at creating a unified regulatory framework for urban management, asset protection, and disaster response under HYDRAA, which will enhance operational efficiency and responsiveness.