The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRA) conducted successful anti-encroachment drives at two separate locations on Thursday, protecting public spaces and restoring access for residents. The agency cleared illegal encroachments in Gachibowli and Shamirpet, responding to long-standing complaints from local communities.
In Gachibowli’s Telecom Nagar, HYDRA protected a 2,500 square yards park from illegal occupation. The area, originally developed by BSNL employees in 1982 over 32 acres with permission from the then HUDA, had designated 4,000 square yards for a public park. Over the years, approximately 1,500 square yards of this park land had been encroached upon, with residential structures coming up on the site.
Concerned residents of Telecom Nagar approached HYDRA after noticing further encroachments on the remaining park land. They filed a formal complaint through HYDRA Praja Vani, the agency’s public grievance platform. Following orders from HYDRA Commissioner AV Ranganath, officials conducted a thorough field investigation in coordination with Revenue and GHMC officials.
The investigation confirmed that the land was indeed allocated for park purposes. Since permanent residences had already been constructed on a portion of the encroached area, HYDRA focused on clearing the remaining 2,500 square yards of park land. The agency installed boards officially declaring the area as park land and erected fencing around the perimeter to prevent future encroachments.
In a separate operation on the same day, HYDRA cleared road encroachments in Friends Colony, Shamirpet, located in Medchal-Malkajgiri District. The layout, established in 1987 over 4.20 acres in Survey No. 1198, featured a designated 20-foot road that had been illegally encroached upon over time.
Encroachers had constructed walls blocking the road and installed a gate connecting it to adjacent plots, effectively cutting off public access. The road, which passed by the Shamirpet Police Station, had been blocked for years, causing significant inconvenience to colony residents. A complaint was filed through HYDRA Praja Vani, prompting the agency to conduct a field investigation that confirmed the illegal encroachment.
HYDRA officials demolished the walls and removed the gate on Thursday, successfully restoring the road for public use. The clearance operation paved the way for colony residents who had been struggling with the blocked access for years. The action brought relief to the community that had been seeking resolution through proper channels.
Local residents expressed satisfaction with HYDRA’s intervention, stating they had been filing complaints with relevant departments for 15 years without any action. They credited the agency’s prompt response and decisive action for finally resolving their long-standing grievance and restoring their right to access the public road.
