The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) on Friday demolished encroachments at 1.30 acres of government land in Kulsumpura under Goshamahal constituency.

In an anti-encroachment drive, HYDRAA reclaimed the land worth Rs110 crore.

According to HYDRAA, the land was encroached by a person identified as Ashok Singh in Survey No. 50 in Kulsumpura, Asif Nagar mandal. The man built sheds on the encroached land and rented them to idol makers.

Hyderabad collectorate has directed the HYDRAA to protect government land in Kulsumpura as it planned to use it for public welfare. Government is also planning to construct double bedroom houses for the poor in Kulsumpura, where even a small plot is hard to find. The locals in the areas also lodged a complaint against the encroachments to HYDRAA. Following the complaints, HYDRAA along with revenue officials conducted an inspection and confirmed it as a government land. On Friday, the encroachments were removed, and the land was reclaimed on the instructions of HYDRAA commissioner AV Ranganath.

A senior officer at HYDRAA said that Ashok Singh also approached the City Civil Court, however the court ruled in favour of the government. Despite this, Ashok Singh did not vacate the land. Hence the anti-encroachment drive was carried out. Ashok Singh also attacked officials who visited the location to carry out the demolition drive.

Moreover, as many as 8 cases have been filed against Ashok Singh in various police stations, identifying him as a land encroacher and rowdy-sheeter. He has been booked by Langar Houz, Mangalhat, and Shahinayathgunj police stations.

Earlier on Thursday, AV Ranganath reviewed ongoing desilting works and removal of silt and waste from the clogged stormwater drains across Ameerpet and nearby localities like Gayathri Hills, Jubilee Hills, Yousufguda, Srinivasa Nagar, Madhura Nagar, and Krishnanagar. He said “Earlier, even light rain would lead to knee-deep water on the main road. This year, even 10cm of rainfall didn’t cause any stagnation. That’s a major turnaround.”

At the Maitrivanam Junction, where multiple pipelines converge, years of accumulated debris had drastically reduced water flow. To restore capacity, HYDRAA teams opened the concrete slabs over the Srinivasnagar West drainage canal and cleared massive blockages. Over 45 truckloads of silt have already been removed from the pipelines so far.