HYDRAA secures 11 acres of govt land in city

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) secured 11 acres of govt and public-use land in city on Tuesday following complaints of encroachments. Officials estimate the market value of the protected land at around Rs 1,650 crore.Of the total, two acres in Kondapur were earmarked for a public park. The land forms part of the Central Park Colony layout developed in 1998. Although municipal authorities had earlier demarcated the park area and constructed a boundary, residents reported repeated attempts by some individuals to encroach upon the land. Locals also alleged intimidation when they resisted these activities. "Acting on complaints received through its grievance platform, HYDRAA, along with revenue and GHMC officials, conducted a field inspection and reaffirmed the land's status as park space. Temporary structures that had come up on the site were removed, and fencing has now been installed around the two-acre parcel. Signboards indicating its designated use have also been placed," said HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath.In a separate case, authorities examined encroachment concerns over nine acres of land in Pragathi Nagar, near Ambir Lake, under Kukatpally mandal. The land includes five acres allocated for a cremation ground and four acres for a dumping yard. Following verification with revenue and municipal departments, the land was confirmed to be reserved for these public purposes. Fencing has been put up around the nine-acre stretch, along with signboards marking the designated uses. "Residents in the area said they had raised multiple complaints in the past regarding alleged encroachments. They said the recent investigation has, for now, addressed the issue of unauthorised occupation," Ranganath said.