28 acres of historic Hasmathpet land under illegal occupation; residents seek HYDRAA action

Hyderabad: A major complaint reaching HYDRAA Prajavani has exposed large-scale encroachment of 28.28 acres of government land in Hasmathpet village, Balanagar mandal.

Residents of Old Bowenpally alleged that local political leaders and their associates had occupied the land, identified as Survey No. 1, and were illegally converting it into a real estate venture.

The land, which holds historical and archaeological significance, was listed in the 1953 Gazette of the Archaeology Department. Complainants accused the encroachers of carving it into smaller residential plots and selling them to unsuspecting buyers under the guise of private ownership.

Citizens take to HYDRAA against encroachments

The complaint from Hasmathpet was among 52 petitions filed at HYDRAA Prajavani on Monday, showing a surge in public participation against land grabs, illegal constructions and civic negligence.

Several residents personally visited the HYDRAA office, submitting photographs, videos and location maps as evidence.

Officials said that complaints came from across Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sangareddy districts, covering a range of violations, from lake encroachments to blocked public roads and tampered drainage channels.

Beeramguda Lake is shrinking rapidly

Residents of Beeranguda in Ameenpur Municipality expressed concern over the shrinking of the Shambu Kunta Lake, once spread over 22.11 acres.

They said rampant mud dumping and illegal occupation had reduced the lake’s size by nearly half. Locals warned that if no action is taken, the water body could soon vanish entirely.

Flooding in Shamshabad due to blocked channels

Villagers from Pedda Golkonda under Shamshabad mandal alleged that drainage channels were sealed and bund levels raised, causing water to exceed the Full Tank Level (FTL). As a result, farmlands and a section of the Outer Ring Road service lane near Exit 15 were submerged, disrupting daily movement.

Illegal layouts in Yashodanagar and Kukatpally

Members of the Yashodanagar Colony Residents Association complained that internal colony roads were merged into private layouts, forcing residents to take long detours.

In Kukatpally, residents reported that 12 acres of Pariki Lake were being filled overnight using unregistered trucks. They alleged that the land was being developed for an 18-storey apartment complex, posing risks to future property buyers.

HYDRAA commissioner orders swift verification

HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath personally reviewed all 52 petitions and directed officials from the respective departments to take immediate corrective action.