HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) on Friday reclaimed two parcels of government land in the city, together valued at Rs 1,700 crore — 13 acres in Nizampet worth Rs 1,300 crore and seven acres in the Mohammadnagar-Lalithabagh area near the railway track in Kandikal village, Bandlaguda mandal, valued at Rs 400 crore.
At Nizampet village in Bachupally Mandal of Medchal-Malkajgiri district, Bachupally Mandal Revenue officials flagged encroachments on government land in Survey Nos. 186, 191 and 334 and sought HYDRAA’s intervention. A field inspection revealed permanent residential structures on about four acres; without disturbing these, HYDRAA removed temporary sheds on the remaining land, erected fencing around 13 acres and installed signboards declaring it government property.
In the Mohammadnagar-Lalithabagh area, HYDRAA safeguarded seven acres of government land under Town Survey No. 28, Block ‘F’, Ward No. 274, leaving undisturbed the two acres already encroached upon with houses. Despite police cases, an individual had illegally occupied the land using iron-sheet barricades, which were removed as HYDRAA evicted the encroachers in the presence of Revenue officials and police security and installed fencing and boards declaring it government property.
Survey of India maps show that a lake once existed on the land but was filled with soil. The land was illegally claimed by R Venkatesh’s family members and others, against whom cases were registered at Bhavaninagar police station.
Another individual later approached court claiming purchase of the land, but the court questioned how government land could be treated as private property and imposed a Rs 1 crore fine for wasting judicial time. Despite this, encroachers continued to approach courts instead of vacating the land.
Residents welcomed the action, saying that clearing encroachments on the land, nala and lake would help prevent flooding and create a pleasant environment. They said attempts were made to convert the land into plots for sale, allegedly with the backing of influential persons, despite repeated complaints to the Bandlaguda tahsildar, the police and court rulings declaring it as government property. Residents urged authorities to restore the nala and lake, stating that this would significantly reduce flood risks in several parts of the old city.