HYDRAA Reclaims 923.14 Acres of Encroached Land Worth ₹45,000–50,000 Crore Since July

Hyderabad: HYDRAA Commissioner Ranganath on Monday confirmed that significant encroachments on nullahs and tanks across Hyderabad have been removed. Speaking to the media, he emphasized that the authorities will not tolerate illegal occupation of water bodies, which are considered community assets.

“The Bathukamma Pond and several other water bodies had been encroached upon. More than 300 acres of land and over 900 houses were illegally built. Yesterday alone, 260 structures were demolished. The remaining 640 houses were spared, as some of the occupants were unaware that the land belonged to the government,” the commissioner said.

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Ranganath also clarified that HYDRAA has maintained a strict stance against builders and was not influenced by any external pressure. Cases have been registered against 12 major construction companies, including Vertex and Vasavi Builders. “Since HYDRAA’s inception on July 19, 2024, we have protected 923.14 acres valued at approximately ₹45,000 to ₹50,000 crore, and 581 encroachments have been removed,” he added.

The commissioner pointed out that many ponds had been encroached upon for the last 50 to 60 years. Over the past 14 months, the authority has actively removed such illegal structures following complaints about encroachments and dumping in water bodies. “We have registered 75 cases related to waste dumping into ponds,” Ranganath said.

In a grim note, he also reported that three people were swept away by overflowing nullahs during recent heavy rains, with only one body recovered near Valigonda. The search for the remaining two individuals is ongoing.

Commissioner Ranganath’s statements reflect HYDRAA’s firm approach to safeguarding Hyderabad’s water bodies and preventing further illegal occupation, signaling a strong message to both encroachers and builders.