Hyderabad, April 1 (IANS) Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) carried out a major operation on Wednesday to remove encroachments on government land. Five under-construction buildings were demolished by HYDRAA teams at Shastripuram in Rajendranagar mandal amid tight security.

HYDRAA personnel demolished structures built illegally on the land allotted for a playground. Five G+3 under construction structures were pulled down to protect the land worth Rs.100 crore. Two small structures were also razed to ground.

Two buildings were not demolished as some families were staying there.

The encroachments had come up on Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) approved layout. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) had issued notices to the encroachers in the past.

HYDRAA carried out demolition after locals lodged complaints. The encroachers had allegedly sold plots on the land through notarised documents.

The approved layout spread over 188 acres has 1,800 plots. The authorities had earmarked 6,500 square yards for a playground but some people had encroached the land and sold the plots illegally.

Officials of HYDRAA along with officials of GHMC and revenue department had recently inspected the area and after an investigation confirmed that the land was encroached.

HYDRAA was formed in 2024 by the Telangana government to protect lakes, playgrounds, open lands and other government property. It carried out several drives to remove encroachments on water bodies in and around Hyderabad.

The agency has so far reclaimed over 1,045 acres of public land and water bodies, securing urban assets valued at approximately Rs 60,000 crore.

According to HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, the agency reclaimed government land, lakes, parks, nalas and roads.

HYDRAA has been receiving complaints from people about encroachments of lakes, parks, roads, nalas, government land and illegal layouts.

In October last, year, HYDRAA had removed encroachment on five acres of government land in upscale Banjara Hills in the heart of the city to reclaim property worth Rs 750 crore.

The land was allegedly encroached by one Parthsarthy, who had even deployed bouncers and dogs to protect it.

–IANS

ms/rad