HYDRAA demolishes encroachments on Patny nala after resident complaints
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) on Friday, June 6, 2025, carried out the demolition of illegal commercial structures built over the Patny nala (drainage channel) at Patny Center. The action followed longstanding complaints from residents affected by recurring waterlogging.
The nala, originally 70 feet wide, had been reduced to just 15–18 feet due to encroachments. This narrowing caused severe flooding in nearby areas, including Payig Colony, Patny Compound, Patny Colony, Viman Nagar, BHEL Colony, and Indiramma Nagar.
Residents had earlier submitted complaints to both HYDRAA and Cantonment authorities, highlighting the issue and requesting action. On Thursday, HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, Cantonment CEO Madhukar Naik, and officials from GHMC, the Irrigation Department, and other agencies inspected the nala. During the inspection, locals showed photos and videos of past floods where thousands of homes were submerged.
Officials confirmed that nearly 55–60 feet of the nala had been encroached upon. A decision was taken to remove these encroachments and prevent future ones by marking the nala’s boundaries and constructing retaining walls on both sides.
Demolition work began Friday morning. Residents from the affected colonies expressed relief, stating that their decades-long suffering was finally being addressed. Many said this was the first time action had been taken irrespective of whether the land fell under GHMC or Cantonment jurisdiction. They welcomed HYDRAA’s firm approach, noting that court cases had not been used as a reason to delay action.
Residents also pointed to the Hasmathpet Nala and the Picket Nala, which carry runoff from Hasmathpet Lake and Mahendra Hills respectively, and join near Patny. These nalas, originally designed to manage large volumes of stormwater, had also been narrowed to 15–18 feet at their confluence, worsening flood risks.
Locals estimated that nearly 30,000 families would benefit from the clearance of encroachments. For many, the fear of homes being submerged during rains is now significantly reduced.
Traffic police are managing vehicle movement in the area to ensure the demolitions do not cause disruptions. Officials from GHMC, the Cantonment Board, Irrigation, and Revenue Departments are actively supervising the operation. Residents thanked HYDRAA and the officials involved, calling it a long-awaited and much-needed intervention.
