Hyderabad's Shrinking Lakes Trigger HYDRAA Action Plan Hyderabad’s lakes have shrunk by 61 percent between 1979 and 2024, according to a study by the National Remote Sensing Centre, severely disrupting the city’s hydrological system. The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has launched a comprehensive plan to reclaim 2,000 acres of public assets worth Rs 1 lakh crore, much of which is currently controlled by land grabbers. Officials emphasize that the reduction in lake size and water-holding capacity has heightened flood risks and worsened urban flooding, necessitating urgent corrective actions. HYDRAA’s immediate priorities include restoring the full tank level (FTL) of all lakes and delineating the nala network across the city. These details will be made public to ensure transparency. The agency plans to use drones and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping to survey public assets and will implement continuous monitoring of reclaimed lakes, nalas, buffer zones, and road margins. Maintenance of stormwater drains and oversight of retrieved assets will also be part of the strategy to prevent further encroachment and ensure long-term protection. The urgency of these measures stems from Hyderabad’s rapid urbanization. The city’s population has grown sixfold in recent decades and is projected to double by 2050. This expansion has fueled a real estate boom, with land prices rising 100 to 500 times their original value. The soaring land value has driven widespread encroachment of lakes, nalas, parks, roads, and open spaces. HYDRAA has identified over 30,000 nala encroachments, many involving the filling of lakes with construction debris and converting them for real estate development.#hyderabad #national_remote_sensing_centre #vengalraonagar #nala_encroachment
