FTL, Buffer Zone And G.O.111 Area Demolitions By HYDRAA – Legal Perspective

(Summary: This article covers the legal ramifications of the demolitions in the FTLs, buffer zones, G.O. 111 Lands and background and the applicable legislations with special emphasis on the powers of HYDRAA and pertinent HC and NGT rulings.)

In the past few months, Hyderabad has witnessed a whirlwind of demolitions of illegal constructions encroaching the Full Tank Level ("FTL") lands, buffer zones and lands covered under the Government Order 111 issued by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development ("MA&UD") Department of Government of Andhra Pradesh on March 8, 1996 ("G.O. 111 Lands") owing to the actions of Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency ("HYDRAA"). HYDRAA was formed on July 19, 2024¹ as a newly constituted agency by the present Government of Telangana under the MA&UD Department, to tackle the long-standing environmental and regulatory issues around protected lands, whose recent actions have left many businesses and residents