HYDRAA demolishes dreams as entrepreneurs face ruins of businesses in Hyderabad

Making huge investments in plastic granules-making, 50 year-old Mohd Saber struggled hard to set up a company in Katedan after purchasing a land parcel.

However, his aspirations lay shattered in rubble, as officials from HYDRAA, along with HMDA, irrigation department, revenue and Cyberabad police, descended at the site with heavy earthmovers and pulled down the sheds that he had painstakingly set up.

“I had purchased the land and set up the company. Since 2004 we regularly paid power bills and taxes too. Without issuing any notice or at least holding a survey, the demolition was done,” laments Saber.

Along with his son aged around 30 years, he was seen visiting the dismantled structure and removing machinery. “We have to start from the scratch. Removing the machinery and again reinstalling it somewhere else involves huge amount of money,” a crestfallen Saber said.

His son said the demolition was a huge penalty imposed on



the family. “It would have been better if we were sent to jail and the company continued,” he said.

There were around two dozen companies running close to the Appa Cheruvu. The lake is situated on either side of the railway line connecting Falaknuma to Umdanagar (Shamshabad).The companies considered illegal structures and demolished were located on the southern side of the railway tracks.

Kamal, who till recently owned aluminium plates making unit, is still struggling to decipher the motive of HYDRAA in demolishing their units and depriving them of livelihood. “It is not clear if the demolitions were about so called encroachments in the FTL or political revenge targeting some local public representative,” he said.

Satish, who is into entertainment industry said he had taken a shed on lease in the area which was brought down by the HYDRAA bulldozers. “Material worth Rs. 30 lakh went useless. I wonder what sin I am being punished for,” he said.