HYDRAA Reclaims Five Acres of Durgam Cheruvu

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) reclaimed over five acres of Durgam Cheruvu on Tuesday, clearing illegal encroachments on one of the city’s most prominent urban lakes.

Acting on a complaint through Prajavani, commissioner A.V. Ranganath ordered a joint inquiry with revenue, irrigation and urban development officials. The probe confirmed large‑scale encroachment on the lake’s full tank level opposite Inorbit Mall, where soil had been dumped to a depth of 15 metres and the land illegally leased out as a parking facility. HYDRAA estimates rents of up to ₹50 lakh a month were being collected without valid records.

Teams cleared vehicles, fenced the site and pledged to restore the original lake boundary. Officials said the encroachment had also blocked plans for a walking track. Officials also stated that the agency will continue to remove all illegal structures and reclaim encroached portions of the lake.

Once a drinking water source for the Golconda royals, Durgam Cheruvu has shrunk from 160 acres to about 116 acres due to decades of encroachment. Satellite imagery from the National Remote Sensing Centre shows a “systematic pattern of land grabbing”, with sewage inflows and dumping worsening pollution.

HYDRAA noted that a public representative has laid claim on the land, which appeared to expand year after year. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority had earlier notified the lake’s area as 160.7 acres. HYDRAA is now working with NRSC, Survey of India and revenue records to conclusively fix boundaries and reclaim all encroached portion.