The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has successfully reclaimed and secured 7 acres of government land valued at Rs 400 crore in the Old City area of Hyderabad. The operation was carried out in the Mohammad Nagar-Lalithabagh locality.
Officials removed illegal fencing that had been erected on the government property. Following the removal, official barricading was installed to protect the land from further encroachment. The entire operation was conducted under the supervision of revenue and police officials.
Survey records revealed that the land originally contained a lake and a drainage system. However, these water bodies were systematically buried by encroachers over time. The illegal occupation of the land had completely transformed the area’s original landscape.
While 2 acres of the land had already been lost to unauthorized construction activities, HYDRAA managed to protect the remaining portion. The agency acted swiftly to prevent further loss of the valuable government property.
Local residents welcomed the reclamation drive and expressed their gratitude to HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath for taking decisive action. The community members have urged the authorities to restore the original lake and drainage system on the recovered land.
Residents emphasized that restoring these water bodies would significantly help reduce the flood risk in the area. The Old City region has historically faced waterlogging issues during heavy rainfall, and the restoration of natural drainage systems could provide much-needed relief.
The reclamation drive is part of HYDRAA’s ongoing efforts to protect government assets and restore encroached water bodies across Hyderabad. The agency has been actively identifying and reclaiming illegally occupied government lands in various parts of the city.
The presence of revenue and police officials during the operation ensured that the removal of illegal structures proceeded smoothly without any law and order issues. The official barricading now in place is expected to prevent future encroachment attempts on the valuable government property.
Local residents thanked Commissioner A.V. Ranganath for his prompt action and urged authorities to expedite the restoration of the lake and drain to address long-standing flooding concerns in the Mohammad Nagar-Lalithabagh area.
