Residents from different parts of the city expressed concern over sewage inflow into lakes, foul smell and mosquito menace during a telephone program conducted by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) on Saturday.
The program was held from 12 pm to 1 pm during which HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath interacted directly with the complainants. He directed the officials concerned to look into the complaints and asked the residents to contact him again if the issues were not resolved within a week.
Citizens were advised to call 040-29565750 or 040-29565759 every Saturday except holidays. Complaints of lake encroachment were also received from the districts to which the Commissioner clarified that the jurisdiction of HYDRAA falls only in the Outer Circle (ORR). He said that six lakes have been occupied in the first phase and that 14 more will soon be developed in a phased manner.
Most of the complaints involved encroachment on lakes, parks, roads, government and public lands, and trails. From Gagillapur under Dundigal municipality, residents alleged illegal plots on disturbed roads. Calls were also received regarding attempts to build a temple in a park near Pragathi Nagar, stalled work on drainage canals to prevent sewage from flowing into Nagiredda Kunta, obstruction caused by water tankers along a 100-feet long road near Sunnam Cheruvu in Madhapur, and alleged diversion of stormwater drains by big construction firms.
Residents of Attapur reported encroachment on 33 guntas of government land and 900 square yards reserved as parkland and urged the authorities to prevent further construction. The Commissioner dealt with 36 complainants during the program and secured action.
HYDRAA, through a statement on Wednesday, also informed about the sealing of two five-storied buildings under construction on land reserved for public utilities at Venkateshwara Colony, Neknampur Village.
Four plots measuring about 300 square yards were originally earmarked for public utility purposes in a layout approved by HMDA. However, by allegedly creating fake Layout Regulation Scheme (LRS) documents and clubbing adjoining plots, nearly 1,500 square yards were revealed to be private land and planning permission was obtained from the former Manikonda municipality. Subsequently, the ground plus five-storey building was raised.
In another case in the same layout, nearly 2000 sq. yards earmarked for septic tank/park was allegedly secured by LRS and planning permission directly from HMDA, after which another five-storey building was occupied at a rapid pace.
Published – 07 Feb 2026 20:20 IST
