Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) on Thursday, July 16, recovered government land estimated at Rs 600 crore in Banjara Hills.
The recovered land, measuring 3.63 acres, is located on Road No. 13 in Banjara Hills.
“This land, which remained an unrecognised plot in the Jubilee Hills Municipality layout dating back to the Nizam era, has been embroiled in a court dispute,” HYDRAA said.
Encroachment complaints
According to the agency, several attempts were made to encroach upon the land. The Banjara Hills Lake Conservation Committee, along with local residents, submitted a complaint through Praja Vani, urging HYDRAA to protect the property and develop it into a public park.
The complainants said the plot had never been sold as part of the Nizam-era layout. However, nearby residents allegedly claimed ownership and encroached upon the land, with their legal heirs now contesting ownership in court.
They also alleged that the vacant land, located adjacent to a lake, had become a dumping ground, contributing to pollution and the deterioration of the water body. Along with protecting the property, they requested that it be developed into a park.
Following the complaint, HYDRAA held discussions with officials from the concerned departments. To prevent further encroachments while the court case is pending, the agency fenced the property and installed signboards after collecting details related to the ongoing litigation.
HYDRAA protects parkland
Apart from securing the Banjara Hills property, HYDRAA also fenced two park sites in Venkatadrinagar and Boduppal.
In Venkatadrinagar, the agency fenced 800 square yards of parkland valued at around Rs 3 crore. According to HYDRAA, a residential layout comprising 118 plots was developed over 7.2 acres in 1975, with 800 square yards earmarked for a public park.
However, the designated parkland was allegedly converted into residential plots and sold. Residents had objected at the time, questioning how land reserved for a park could be alienated.
HYDRAA said the land was subsequently registered, and a bank loan was obtained against it. When the loan turned into a default, the bank’s verification reportedly revealed that the property was designated as parkland. The agency further alleged that another individual later erected precast walls on the site in an attempt to encroach upon it.
HYDRAA has since fenced the land to prevent further encroachments and safeguard the public property.
Meanwhile, a court ruling also confirmed that the land was designated as parkland. Despite the verdict, the encroachments continued, prompting residents to raise the issue through Praja Vani.
Following a field-level inquiry, HYDRAA officials confirmed that the land had indeed been earmarked for a public park and cleared the encroachments.
In Boduppal
In Boduppal, the agency fenced 1,000 square yards of land reserved for two parks in Anagha Puri Colony, Boduppal mandal, Medchal-Malkajgiri district.
According to HYDRAA, a residential layout comprising 240 plots was developed over 16 acres in the 1980s, with two 500-square-yard plots earmarked as parks. However, the designated parkland was later converted into residential plots and encroached upon.
Residents lodged complaints through Praja Vani, following which HYDRAA conducted an investigation. The inquiry confirmed that the land, valued at around Rs 6 crore, had been reserved for public parks.
The agency subsequently removed watchtowers and other structures made of precast concrete from the encroached land. It also installed signboards identifying the plots as parkland and fenced the area to prevent further encroachments.
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