Apartment built on school land in Kondapur? HYDRAA reclaims 7 acres worth Rs 1,400 crore

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has secured nearly seven acres earmarked for parks and public utilities in Kondapur.

The estimated market value of the reclaimed land is around Rs 1,400 crore.

Acting on complaints from residents of Rajarajeshwari Nagar Colony, the agency removed encroachments and erected fencing to safeguard the land for community use.

The action was taken following directions from HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath after a detailed field inspection by officials.

Layout meant for public amenities

According to records, a Gram Panchayat layout comprising 2,059 plots was approved in 1993 in Survey Nos. 78 to 93 of Kondapur village, under Serilingampally mandal in Ranga Reddy district.

As per the approved layout plan, five acres were allocated for a Government Junior College. Nearly one acre was reserved for a school, and more than an acre was earmarked for parks. Apart from that, 2,181 square yards were set aside for a community hall.

Residents alleged that lands designated for public purposes were gradually encroached upon over the years.

How is land allotted for public use given for commercial purposes?

During the inspection, HYDRAA officials found that:

- An apartment had been constructed over nearly 1,000 square yards meant for a school.

- Private shops and sheds had come up on land for a community hall.

- Commercial establishments, including showrooms and grocery stores, had encroached upon public-use areas.

- Even internal roads were reportedly affected by illegal occupations.

Residents further questioned how park and public utility lands, which are not eligible under the Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS), could have come under private possession.

Action taken by HYDRAA

Following verification of layout documents and land use classification, HYDRAA confirmed that the disputed parcels were indeed reserved for parks and public amenities.

The agency cleared the encroachments and installed fencing around the protected areas. Boards were also erected, clearly marking the sites as land reserved for public purposes to prevent future encroachments.