Hyderabad, August 4, 2026 — HYDRAA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency) commissioner A V Ranganath has again said he wants to stay out of political controversies and be allowed to focus on his official duties, amid renewed speculation about his future and the agency’s role in the city’s demolition drives.
The senior IPS officer, who has become one of Telangana’s most talked-about bureaucrats for his aggressive action against encroachments on lakes, parks and government lands, has repeatedly denied any political ambitions. In recent interviews and public statements, Ranganath has emphasised that he has five years of service left and is not looking at post-retirement political plans.
He has also pushed back against allegations that HYDRAA is being used as a political tool by the ruling Congress government or that it targets properties selectively. “We do not listen to any politicians. That is our strength,” he said in an earlier interview, adding that hundreds of citizens approaching HYDRAA with complaints shows the agency is seen as independent.
The remark comes against the backdrop of ongoing legal and political battles over HYDRAA’s demolition SOPs, with the Telangana High Court recently ordering his removal from the post for alleged violations of court orders, a move the agency has contested. Ranganath has maintained that he works strictly within the law and is committed to delivering results “regardless of the responsibilities entrusted to me by the government”.
