Tenants In Shambles As HYDRAA razes apartment in Ameenpur
The building stood on 2.2 acres of land, and had three towers with around 45 flats. All the flats were rented, and according to residents, nearly 39 flats were occupied at the time of the demolition: Reports
HYDERABAD: Scenes of panic and distress spread at KA Residency at Ilapur, after HYDRAA woke up residents just past dawn, told the residents that their apartments were being demolished, and began operations early on Saturday, waking up the residents. Tenants said they were not notified by their apartment management of notices served for the demolition and were shocked to find out their residence was set to be demolished.
The building stood on 2.2 acres of land, and had three towers with around 45 flats. All the flats were rented, and according to residents, nearly 39 flats were occupied at the time of the demolition.
Recounting the timeline of HYDRAA's actions, tenants said that authorities arrived at around 6 am and began knocking on doors, asking residents to vacate immediately as the structure was to be demolished, and said they had no prior warning. Though multiple notices were reportedly issued to the apartment management earlier, residents claim they were never informed by the management.
“We were sleeping when they knocked on our door and told us to leave right away. We didn’t even have time to think. I had to pick my baby up and get out of the building immediately, and after they gave more time we began packing whatever we could,” said Rajeev, a tenant.
HYDRAA authorities allegedly began breaking the walls of the building even while some people were still inside. Several tenants confronted the officials, claiming family members were still inside the building and the flats, and officials soon halted the process. They then allowed residents a few more hours, until the afternoon, to vacate before resuming the demolition.
The sudden eviction left many families stranded. With no time to make arrangements, tenants scrambled to call packers and movers, often paying as much as `10,000 to shift their belongings.
“I don’t have that kind of money ready. I had to borrow from a friend just to move my things. I still don’t know where my family will go tonight,” said a tenant, who requested not to be named.
All tenants said that the apartment management never communicated about the notices or the unfolding situation. Another tenant said “We all feel cheated. On Friday night, they told us not to open the door if anyone knocked. I wondered why they asked us not to open the doors, but today at 7 am I realised why. If they knew, why didn’t they warn us?”
Rahul, a friend of a tenant, said “I am taking all of my friend’s belongings to my place to stay there for a few days before her family can find another flat or house to stay in. This was all incredibly sudden.”
In the evening, after all the tenants evacuated and left the premises, HYDRAA resumed its operations and demolished the building.
