A young boy’s letter to HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath reported a cordoned-off cricket field in Raidurgam. On visiting, Ranganath found the field blocked and spotted signs of unauthorised construction
Published Apr 20, 2025 | 1:47 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 20, 2025 | 1:47 PM
Synopsis: A boy’s letter about losing access to a cricket field in Langar Houz led HYDRAA to uncover a ₹3,900 crore land grab in Hyderabad. Nearly 39.2 acres of prime government land in Raidurgam, allegedly encroached by Narne Estates, were reclaimed after the agency’s inspection revealed unauthorised development. The boy’s complaint was sent directly to HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath
A letter from a young boy in Langar Houz, who could no longer play cricket on his neighbourhood field, has led to the unearthing of a massive land encroachment scandal and the reclamation of prime government land worth nearly ₹3,900 crore by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA).
The boy’s complaint, sent directly to HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath, flagged suspicious activity near a field in Raidurgam where he and his friends would play cricket. “He wrote to me that he could no longer play cricket and that the area had suddenly been cordoned off,” said Ranganath. “When I visited the site myself, the field was blocked and signs of unauthorised development were clearly visible.”
HYDRAA launched an inspection of the area—Survey No. 5/2 near Raidurgam Dargah in Shaikpet Mandal—only to discover that nearly 39.2 acres of state government land, located in one of the city’s most expensive zones (valued at over ₹100 crore per acre), had been encroached upon by Narne Estates.
The land, which was under legal dispute, had already seen substantial illegal activity: debris was being dumped, a tank was filled, roads were constructed, and plots were marked for sale. Boards by Narne Estates offering the land for sale were prominently displayed, complete with phone numbers for prospective buyers.
“Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Narne Estates was quietly parceling off land that’s on the government’s prohibitory list. There were clear signs of an unauthorised layout being created,” Ranganath said. “Each acre is worth at least ₹100 crore. We had to act immediately before it was too late.”
HYDRAA responded by demolishing the unauthorised infrastructure, putting up government boards on the land, and filing criminal complaints against the encroachers.
One local resident, who had dialed the number on the Narne Estate board pretending to be a buyer, confirmed that a salesperson encouraged him to purchase plots in the disputed area.
#Telangana: #Cricket field encroached: Boy’s letter sparks #HYDRAA action, ₹3,900 Cr govt land reclaimed in #Hyderabad
A young boy from Langar Houz, who regularly played cricket on a stretch of open land in Raidurgam, wrote to authorities after he was suddenly denied access.… pic.twitter.com/WcdXHxd46L— South First (@TheSouthfirst) April 20, 2025
HYDRAA’s crackdown did not stop at Raidurgam. The agency also took action in Hafeezpet, Kondapur, and Madhapur, where another 39.2 acres of prohibited government land—worth over ₹2,000 crore—was found encroached.
Here, the Vasantha Group, reportedly linked to TDP MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad, had not only encroached on the land (Survey No. 79 in Hafeezpet), but also allegedly manipulated land records by creating a fake survey number (79/1) to carry out large-scale illegal construction.
“They constructed and sold houses on 19 acres and built offices and sheds on the remaining land—without a single building permit,” said Ranganath. “When the land is under litigation and on the prohibited list, how were they allowed to go ahead? This is what we’re fighting.”
The land behind Novotel Hotel in Cyberabad, also under dispute, had been under illegal occupation for nearly two decades, according to HYDRAA. Structures had been built and rented out to unsuspecting businesses while a civil suit (CS 14/58) remained pending in the Supreme Court. During one hearing, the court reportedly expressed shock over how plots were being sold despite the legal status of the land.
“Normally what happens is that local politicians become partners in these illegal ventures. With that political cover, everything gets managed—revenue officials, local bodies. That’s exactly what happened in Hafeezpet,” Ranganath noted.
HYDRAA has now cleared all illegal structures, removed compound walls, and marked the area as government land. Official boards have been placed to deter further encroachment. The agency has also registered police cases against both Narne Estates and Vasantha Homes.
Commissioner Ranganath stressed the broader implications of unchecked encroachment. He said. “Middle-class families who invest their life savings into these plots often realise too late that the land is under dispute or prohibited. That must stop.”
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
