Hyderabad: Several citizens have raised serious concerns over the encroachment and misuse of public parks and open spaces during the latest HYDRAA Prajavani grievance redressal program held on Monday. A total of 47 complaints were received, with residents urging authorities to protect parks, government lands, and water bodies from illegal activities and encroachments.
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Residents complained that several parks have lost their original form, with temples being constructed inside park premises, while nearby open areas have been occupied by makeshift shops and sheds used for business purposes. Many citizens requested the government to install fencing around park boundaries and take immediate steps to preserve such spaces meant for public use.
HYDRAA Additional Commissioner N. Ashok Kumar reviewed the complaints and directed the concerned departments to take appropriate action.
Encroachments and land concerns
In Machabollaram village under Alwal mandal of Medchal–Malkajgiri district, members of the Balaji Enclave Residential Welfare Association reported the illegal occupation of 30 guntas of government land (Survey No.188). They appealed for the land to be allocated for a government primary school and urged officials to prevent any further encroachment.
Residents from Raviryal village in Maheshwaram mandal and Ameenpur in Sangareddy district raised concerns over the expansion of local lakes, which has resulted in the submergence of surrounding residential areas. They pointed out that the closure of natural water channels and the rise in bund height have worsened the flooding. Locals demanded that sluice gates be reopened and that lake boundaries be properly redefined by the authorities.
Housing Board layout violations
Residents of Telangana Housing Board Colony in Raviryal complained that vacant plots within their layout are being illegally occupied. They alleged that some individuals have built temples and temporary sheds, renting them out for commercial purposes, while others have blocked roads to grab open plots.
Similarly, in the Baghlingampally Division of the Musheerabad constituency, residents reported that a children’s park in a Housing Board colony has been taken over by steel and iron shops, and vehicle servicing centres. Despite repeated complaints to GHMC and Housing Board authorities, no action has been taken so far. Locals urged officials to remove illegal establishments and restore the park for public use.