Hyderabad: HYDRAA protected seven acres of government land in the Old City on Friday by clearing long-standing encroachments and securing the site with fencing, officials said.
The protected land is located near the railway track in the Mohammednagar–Lalithabagh area of Kandikal village in Bandlaguda mandal. Officials said the land, estimated to be worth nearly ₹400 crore, had remained under illegal occupation for decades despite court cases and penalties.
HYDRAA officials removed iron sheet barricades erected by encroachers to conceal illegal activity on the land. Subsequently, they installed permanent fencing in the presence of revenue officials and under police security. Boards identifying the site as government land were also placed.
HYDRAA government land action brings relief to locals
Officials said the total government land in the area measured 9.11 acres under Town Survey No. 28, Block F, Ward No. 274. While two acres already had residential constructions, HYDRAA safeguarded the remaining seven acres without disturbing existing homes.
According to Survey of India maps, a lake once existed on the land. Encroachers allegedly filled it with soil, erasing visible traces of the water body. Authorities said restoring the lake and nearby nalas could improve the local environment, similar to Bumruk Dargah Lake.
Revenue officials earlier registered cases at Bhavani Nagar police station against the encroachers. Despite court fines, including a ₹1 crore penalty for misusing court proceedings, the encroachers continued to occupy the land.
Local residents welcomed the HYDRAA government land action and thanked officials for acting swiftly on complaints. Community representatives said the encroachment attempts had triggered tension in the sensitive locality, with plans to convert the land into plots for sale.
Residents urged authorities to take strict action against encroachers and restore the lake and drainage channels. They said such measures would reduce flood risks in several Old City neighbourhoods and praised HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, IPS, for the decisive operation.