In a significant crackdown on illegal occupation, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (Hydraa) executed two major anti-encroachment operations on Friday. The agency successfully reclaimed and secured a total of 20 acres of valuable government land, with an estimated market value nearing a staggering Rs 1,700 crore.
Nizampet Operation: Protecting 13 Acres Worth Rs 1,300 Crore
The first operation was conducted in Nizampet village, located in the Bachupally mandal of Medchal-Malkajgiri district. This action was initiated based on complaints from local mandal revenue officials regarding ongoing illegal encroachments. A joint field inspection by Hydraa and revenue authorities revealed that approximately 4 acres of the 13-acre parcel had already been taken over, with permanent residential structures under construction.
Adopting a measured approach, Hydraa officials focused on securing the remaining land without disturbing existing houses. "Without disturbing existing houses, we removed temporary sheds from the remaining land, erected fencing around the 13 acres and installed boards declaring the land to be govt property," stated Hydraa Commissioner AV Ranganath. He placed the value of this reclaimed land at around Rs 1,300 crore.
Old City Crackdown: Reclaiming Land Near Railway Tracks
In a separate and equally critical drive, Hydraa targeted encroachments in the sensitive Old City area. The operation focused on government land near the railway track in the Mohammed Nagar–Lalithabagh area of Kandikal village, under Bandlaguda mandal. Official town survey records indicate the total government land here spans 9.11 acres.
Of this, roughly two acres were already occupied with residential buildings. Hydraa moved to secure the remaining seven acres, again ensuring existing dwellings were not touched. Commissioner Ranganath detailed a history of legal battles over this plot, noting that despite multiple police cases and court orders, the illegal occupation persisted.
"Revenue officials had previously filed cases at the Bhavani Nagar police station against R Venkatesh's family members and others for encroaching on the land," he said. The commissioner further explained that another individual, Pattabhi Rami Reddy, later claimed to have purchased the land from the initial encroachers and approached the court. The court, however, questioned private claims over government land and imposed a fine of ₹1 crore for wasting judicial time.
Environmental Impact and Community Tensions
The Old City site holds significant environmental importance. Survey of India maps confirmed the area originally contained a lake and stormwater drains, which encroachers had completely buried by filling them with soil. Local residents reported that attempts to convert the land into saleable plots had heightened tensions in the locality.
They emphasized that restoring the lake and stormwater network would drastically reduce flooding risks in several parts of the Old City. The Hydraa operation, conducted under police protection and with revenue officials present, involved removing illegal iron-sheet barricades, clearing encroachments, erecting fencing, and installing government property boards. The value of this seven-acre reclaimed land is estimated at approximately Rs 400 crore.
These coordinated actions by Hydraa represent a firm stance against the illegal occupation of public assets, aiming to protect valuable government land and address critical urban environmental concerns in Hyderabad.
