Hyderabad Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), a statutory wing constituted by the Government of Telangana, has protected government lands from encroachment, land reclamation and encroached lake basins, worth over $1 lakh crore, officials familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
HYDRAA’s largest crackdown took place on Friday, when, within a few hours, authorities blocked government land worth approximately $30,000 Crores, from infringement. “Following a Supreme Court order, HYDRAA has taken up fencing of approximately 200 acres of government land between the prime areas of Bhopalagoda and Khajagoda. Considering the current market value, the value of the land is approx. $30,000 crore,” HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath said in a post.
The trip also included a landscape of granite formations believed to be around 2.5 billion years old. He said environmental groups, such as the Rock Rescue Society, have been fighting for decades to protect this area, which is one of Hyderabad’s most important geological landscapes.
He added that although the Supreme Court had issued its orders in 2019, directing the municipal and revenue departments to protect government lands and rock formations, there was inordinate delay in demarcation and fencing which left the area vulnerable to encroachments.
Ranganath said that after the recent complaint about possible encroachments on valuable land in the heart of the city, he along with municipal and revenue department authorities inspected the area. “On Friday, we carried out fencing and protected the land from encroachment,” he said, adding that Bhagirathama Cheruvu, a large water body next to the land, will also be restored.
Founded in July 2024, HYDRAA has been conducting a series of anti-encroachment campaigns, braving legal battles and resisting encroachment on government lands and lakes in and around Hyderabad.
In his Telangana Formation Day speech on June 2, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said HYDRAA has successfully reclaimed more than 1,045 acres of encroached lake and government land, valued at around 1,045 acres. $60,000 Crores. He added: “These assets now belong to the people.”
He added that Hydra has been charged with the responsibility of reclaiming government lands and restoring lakes, ponds and reservoirs located within core urban areas, in addition to protecting the lands from the encroachments of wild sharks.
With the recent campaign in Bhopalguda, the total value of government land protected by HYDRAA has reached approx $1 lakh crore.
In a presentation given during the Telangana Rising Global Summit 2026 held in December, HYDRAA authorities claimed that the agency ensured the return of 424 acres of government land to public domain, freed 218 acres of roads for movement and safety, protected 233 acres of lakes, including revitalizing 33 acres of lake beds to their natural surroundings, and restored 25.65 acres of parks for community use. 15 acres of nalas and drains were cleared, which helped prevent urban flooding.
“In smaller, scattered corners, 75 acres of footpaths and unauthorized structures have been removed,” she added.
According to a senior official, HYDRAA in April conducted a major anti-encroachment operation on government land at Ailapur in Aminpur district of Sangareddy district and reclaimed 861 acres of market value government land. $15,000 Crores.
Some key drivers include: Reclaiming 317 acres of government land $15,000 crore in September at Gagulararam in Kuthbullapur mandal; – Reclamation of 36 acres of land $3,600 crore in Kundapur’s Bikshapathinagar, where pop-up restaurants and car sheds have come up on government land.
Some of the specific lakes that have recently been protected from massive encroachments include: Mushkin Lake in Narsingi, which has been protected from illegal occupation within the limits of Full Tank Level (FTL), protecting land valued at over $5,500 crores on May 30; Kotha Cheruvu in Kokapet, which has been cleared of 22 acres of encroachments, to protect government property worth $2200 crores on May 21; The six-acre Idola Kunta Lake, which was restored along with a 5.16-acre government plot of land in Khanamit on May 26.
“Besides, HYDRAA has rejuvenated and restored other lakes like Bathukamma Kunta, Thamidi Kunta and Sonam Cheruvu in the last two years,” the official added.
