ONGOLE: The Ongole Urban Development Authority (OUDA) launched a special drive against unauthorised layouts and real estate ventures under its jurisdiction on Tuesday.
Acting on the orders of OUDA Vice-Chairman and district Joint Collector Kalpana Kumari, officials cleared 25 illegal layouts across the combined Prakasam district in a single day.
Authorities said hundreds of ventures exist within OUDA limits, with action being taken in phases. In Kanigiri, MLA Ugra Narasimha Reddy and OUDA Chief Sk Riyaz identified nearly 100 ventures, including 40 around Kanigiri mandal. Enforcement teams later demolished boundary stones and compound walls in 14 layouts using JCB machines.
Similar operations were carried out in Ongole, Kothapatnam, Darsi, Singarayakonda, Maddipadu, Martur and Vetapalem. Kumari cautioned the public against buying plots in unapproved ventures, warning of difficulties in securing building permissions or bank loans.