HYDRAA, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency, swung into action early Sunday morning to clear illegal structures from a massive 100-acre government plot in Gajularamaram, part of Greater Hyderabad’s Qutbullapur constituency in Medchal Malkajgiri district. This latest push against land encroachments targets a spot in survey number 397, where the encroached land alone is worth a whopping Rs 4,500 crore.
The operation kicked off after locals tipped off officials about shady deals: encroachers were throwing up single-bedroom houses on 60-70 square yard plots and flipping them for Rs 10 lakh apiece to workers in nearby areas like Qutbullapur, Gajularamaram, and Chintal. Out of the full 300-acre government site—valued at Rs 15,000 crore—about a third had fallen into unauthorized hands over recent years.
Things got tense on the ground. Protesters from the area blocked bulldozers and voiced their frustration, insisting they had shelled out good money for these homes and that the real culprits were the sellers. Police stepped in to clear the way and keep things calm. Demonstrators argued for action against the land sellers instead.
This prime real estate sits just 10 kilometers from Hyderabad’s bustling IT corridor. Back in the day, the government handed it over to key agencies like the State Finance Corporation, Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC), Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), and the Housing Board. But with those groups sitting on it unused, opportunists—including some local leaders accused of grabbing 103 acres in the last 3-4 years—moved in and started building. The area’s land fetches Rs 40-50 crore per acre on the market, making it a hot target.
Builders even pulled strings with revenue and electricity department officials to hook up the illegal homes with water and power connections, drawing in buyers from surrounding neighborhoods.
HYDRAA has been on a roll lately, clearing multiple encroachments across Hyderabad and its outskirts over the past year. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy gave the agency a big shout-out last month, calling it a powerhouse for safeguarding the city. He highlighted how HYDRAA has already reclaimed government lands worth Rs 30,000 crore, plus freed up 13 parks and 20 lakes from illegal takeovers.
Reddy stressed that HYDRAA’s mission is to turn Hyderabad into a safer, flood-proof haven. With cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chennai battling severe flooding, he wants to ensure Hyderabad avoids that mess by cracking down on encroachments around water bodies and green spaces.
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