Hyderabad: Hyderabad Disaster Management and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) on Friday, November 21, reclaimed nearly 4 acres of land meant for public utilities in Kondapur.
The Sri Venkateswara HAL Colony was developed over 57.20 acres, comprising 627 plots. The layout had also accommodated 1.20 acres each for two parks, 2 acres for another park and 1,000 square yards for public-utility spaces.
Presently, the land prices in the area are reaching Rs 200 crore per acre placing the value of the reclaimed land at around Rs 700 crore.
However, according to the Telangana CMO, these open spaces had been under encroachment for years after they were illegally converted into plots and sold using bye-numbers.
The Sri Venkateswara HAL Residents’ Welfare Association recently approached HYDRAA’s Prajavani, after which an investigation was carried out, confirming the encroachments.
HYDRAA found that influential individuals had executed General Power of Attorney (GPA) agreements through a person named YBK Rao in the 1980s and had sold the land illegally.
This land was later regularized through government schemes such as LRS (Layout Regularisation Scheme) and BRS (Building Regularisation Scheme).
Residents also alleged that NRIs had financed much of this illegal activity, and subsequently, the plots were bought by companies like Simha Developers, Vasavi Constructions and others who deployed bouncers to block the residents from entering the park areas.
The Residents’ Welfare Association also moved the High Court regarding this issue, which then guided HYDRAA to reclaim the land.
On Friday, HYDRAA placed fencing and erected signboards around the land, finally providing relief to the residents.
