KTR alleges Telangana govt HYDRA initiative a political drama

Hyderabad: BRS Working President and former Minister K T Rama Rao (KTR) has accused the Congress-led Telangana government of engaging in political theatrics under the guise of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRA).

KTR urged the government to take meaningful action to improve Hyderabad’s infrastructure instead of resorting to what he called “drama.”

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, KTR stressed that it is the responsibility of the government to address the problems faced by Hyderabad’s residents, who had supported the Congress party in the elections.

He expressed outrage over recent demolitions of homes without sufficient notice, citing the case of a seven-year-old girl, Vedashree, who lost her books when her home was torn down, and a pregnant woman who wasn’t given time to collect her belongings.

KTR labelled these incidents as “heartbreaking” and “inhumane.”

He added, “Those living on footpaths are poor people working hard to survive. If the government plans to remove them, it should establish vending zones, as we had done.”

He criticised the Congress government for lacking a humanitarian perspective and claimed that homes registered just days ago were being demolished, accusing the government of being disorganised, “The left-hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.”

KTR went on to question the authority of the Chief Minister, saying, “Is this a government or a circus?” He demanded that the government take responsibility for demolitions in buffer zones and ensure compensation for those affected, particularly those who had invested large sums in their homes.

“Our legal team stands by all HYDRA victims,” he assured, urging victims to contact Telangana Bhavan or their local MLAs for assistance.

He criticised the government’s handling of housing for the poor, stating that the BRS had built 100,000 homes, and challenged the Congress to do better.

KTR also raised concerns about plans to sell nearly a thousand acres of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) land, saying the proceeds should benefit Hyderabad’s poor.

KTR accused the Congress of conducting “dramas” under the name of HYDRA and warned that the BRS would not stay silent if injustices continued.

He criticised Congress for granting illegal encroachments and permissions during its rule, emphasising that while BRS doesn’t support encroachments, steps must be taken to protect the poor from undue harm.

He also called out the government’s hypocrisy, pointing out that the GHMC, HYDRA office, and even the homes of some ministers were in buffer zones, urging them to “demolish those first and prove your integrity.

” He pledged to visit more constituencies and listen to residents’ concerns.

Regarding the Musi River project, KTR criticised the inflated project costs, questioning the allocation of Rs 50,000 crore, 75,000 crores, and even 1.5 lakh crores for cleaning the river.

 He demanded clarity on the project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) and raised concerns about efforts to award contracts to a blacklisted Pakistani company.

KTR warned against the double standards of one law for the rich and another for the poor. “If your atrocities continue, we will stand in the way of your bulldozers.”

KTR called for action against illegal builders and encroachers, urging the government to support the poor and stop treating them inhumanely.

 He suggested that if necessary, videos exposing Congress leaders’ farmhouses would be released, and details about the BRS government’s efforts to protect water bodies would be shared via a PowerPoint presentation.

He also noted the 42 per cent drop in real estate and the hardships faced by workers in the sector. Highlighting BRS’s work, he pointed to the construction of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Hyderabad, which he said have made the city a leader in wastewater management in South Asia.

He credited KCR’s leadership for pushing Hyderabad toward becoming a “dirty water-free city.”

KTR took a dig at the Congress government’s inability to handle events smoothly, contrasting it with the BRS’s successful management of festivals and public events.

He pointed out the increasing crime rate in Hyderabad under Congress’s rule, with 30 murders in 28 days, and criticised the government’s negligence toward critical infrastructure projects like the Fateh Nagar Bridge.