The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) conducted a massive operation on Saturday to protect Mushkin Cheruvu in Puppalguda-Narsingi villages of Gandipet mandal, Rangareddy district. The agency removed illegal encroachments, huts, and an embankment constructed in the middle of the lake, protecting land valued at approximately ₹5500 crore.
According to HMDA calculations, the total area of the lake falls within the Full Tank Level (FTL) boundary of 52.20 acres. However, village records indicate the lake area extends to 59.11 acres, of which 20.23 acres belongs to the government while the remaining portion is classified as Exal Patta land. The discrepancy in measurements highlights the complexity of land ownership in the area.
Officials discovered that encroachers had attempted to build a dam in the middle of the pond and illegally occupy 34.21 acres of the water body. The encroachment was reportedly carried out under the guise of lake development work. A construction company that had undertaken lake development activities using CSR funds was found to have violated regulations regarding construction activities in the FTL zone.
HYDRAA identified that real estate developers had constructed huts in the name of providing shelter to the poor, but the actual intention was to establish illegal occupation of the lake area. The agency took decisive action to demolish these unauthorized structures and restore the lake to its original boundaries.
The agency had provided a two-month notice period for occupants to vacate the encroached areas voluntarily. Residents of the huts complied with the directive and left the premises before the demolition operation commenced. This voluntary evacuation facilitated the smooth execution of the anti-encroachment drive without any major confrontations.
On Saturday, HYDRAA teams erected fencing around the entire FTL boundaries of the lake to prevent future encroachments. The operation included removing the embankment that had been illegally constructed in the middle of the water body, which had disrupted the natural flow and storage capacity of the lake.
The protection of Mushkin Cheruvu is part of HYDRAA’s broader mandate to safeguard water bodies across the Hyderabad metropolitan region. The agency has been actively identifying and removing encroachments on lakes, ponds, and other water bodies that have been illegally occupied over the years by various entities.
HYDRAA officials stated that the fencing work will continue to protect both the 52.20-acre FTL area and the remaining government land associated with the lake. The agency emphasized that any violation of rules regarding construction activities in and around protected water bodies will face strict action under existing regulations.
