HYDRAA protects parks in Hyderabad colonies
HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) acts on complaints and clears encroachments on park lands across the city.
On Friday, HYDRAA protected six parks in Bhagyalakshmi Colony at Subhash Nagar in Jeedimetla, Qutbullapur mandal, Medchal–Malkajgiri district. It fenced 2,260 sq yards after removing encroachments.
Residents said the layout, spread over 80 acres with 810 plots, was formed in 1968 with 10 parks earmarked. High-tension power lines once passed over the layout, and several parks were located beneath them. The lines were removed about 20 years ago after an alternative supply was arranged for the Jeedimetla industrial area. Encroachments began soon after, residents stated in their complaint to HYDRAA Prajavani.
Following directions from Commissioner A V Ranganath, HYDRAA officials conducted a field inquiry with other departments and confirmed the sites as park land. On Friday, they cleared encroachments in six contiguous parks, installed fencing and erected boards declaring them as park sites.
Residents gathered at the locations, raised slogans in support of HYDRAA and took out rallies.
In a separate action, HYDRAA cleared encroachments from a park site measuring about 1,452 sq yards in Gudimalkapur village, Asifnagar mandal, Hyderabad district.
The AG Office Cooperative Housing Society layout was formed decades ago over 10 acres with 83 plots. Plots numbered 79, 80 and 81 were located in a low-lying area. After revising the layout, authorities allotted alternative plots to owners and marked nearly 1,500 sq yards of the low-lying land as a park.
As development increased, encroachers filled the pit and began using the land. One person ran a sand business, another used it for vehicle parking and a third operated a tender coconut stall. Residents said they had approached the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation in 2018 seeking protection of the park but received no relief.
After receiving a complaint through Prajavani, HYDRAA conducted a field inspection, confirmed the land as park area and cleared the encroachments on Friday. It fenced the site and installed boards identifying it as park land.
Officials said the total extent of park land protected on Friday was 3,712 sq yards, valued at about ₹37.12 crore.
