Hyderabad: On Sunday, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Monitoring and Protection Authority (HYDRAA) launched an operation to remove illegal structures in Gajularamaram within Qutubullapur mandal, part of the Medchal–Malkajgiri district. This action aimed to recover more than 300 acres of land belonging to the government.
The disputed land, recorded as Survey No 307, was originally allocated to the State Finance Corporation. Over the years, influential individuals took over this valuable land, now worth over Rs 15,000 crore, and illegally developed it. These individuals divided the land into plots and sold them. Temporary shelters were built, misleadingly claiming to aid the poor, while in truth, powerful groups profited from this unauthorized occupation.
Early Sunday morning, HYDRAA teams began tearing down the unlawful constructions, ensuring that residential homes were not affected. However, this move sparked protests from local residents, including women and children celebrating the Bathukamma festival. The community, comprising many daily wage earners, voiced their distress and requested the demolition be stopped. They explained they had invested significant amounts of money to buy small plots ranging from 60 to 70 square yards, on land that was once a dump site. They stated, “We cleaned the area and set up temporary homes. Our children attend nearby schools and colleges,” pleading for a solution from the authorities.
