HYDERABAD: Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has given his assent to an ordinance empowering the Hyderabad Disaster Relief and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Act.
The ordinance, known as the GHMC (Amendment) Ordinance 2024, confers authority on HYDRAA to protect water bodies, government lands, public spaces and parks from encroachments within Hyderabad.
The key amendment, Section 374-B, grants the state government the power to appoint any officer, agency, or authority to safeguard public assets. This includes the protection of roads, drains, water bodies and open spaces vested with the Corporation. These steps are aimed at preventing illegal encroachments and managing disaster response.
The ordinance comes in response to recent heavy rains and floods that have tested the city’s vulnerability to natural disasters. The state government has highlighted the need for specialised agencies to assist the GHMC in implementing resilient systems for disaster management and public asset protection. HYDRAA, which was formed in July 2024, will focus on removing illegal structures in areas such as full tank levels (FTL), buffer zones of lakes, and public lands within the Outer Ring Road region, encompassing Hyderabad, Rangareddy, and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts.
The ordinance was notified by the Raj Bhavan on Saturday. The government plans to table a Bill based on the ordinance in the coming session of the Legislature.
Hyderabad, contributing over a third of the state’s revenue and Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), remains a key economic hub. Despite covering only 0.58% of the state’s geography, the city continues to attract significant investment, particularly from Fortune 500 companies in the IT, pharma, and biotech sectors. The ordinance aims to support the city’s infrastructure and maintain its attractiveness as a global business destination.