Published Apr 12, 2026 | 11:42 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 12, 2026 | 11:42 AM
HYDRAA carried out an encroachment drive in Telangana.
Synopsis: In a major demolition operation, the government machinery carried out a massive enforcement exercise in Ameenpur in Sangareddy district in Telangana, reclaiming government land. The market value of the protected land is estimated to exceed a staggering ₹15,000 crore. According to official sources, the exercise specifically targeted vacant government land, while leaving untouched houses already constructed by poor and middle-class families.
In a major demolition operation, the government machinery on Saturday, 11 April, carried out a massive enforcement exercise in Ameenpur in Sangareddy district of Telangana, reclaiming and securing as much as 861 acres of government land. The market value of the protected land is estimated to exceed a staggering ₹15,000 crore.
The large-scale operation was spearheaded by HYDRAA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency), in coordination with revenue, municipal, and police departments.
Conducted under heavy police security, the drive aimed at safeguarding government land from illegal encroachments and dubious transactions that had persisted for years.
According to official sources, the exercise specifically targeted vacant government land, while leaving untouched houses already constructed by poor and middle-class families. Repeated announcements over public address systems reassured residents that there was no need for panic among genuine occupants.
This approach helped ease tensions, with many locals expressing relief and even extending cooperation to officials during the fencing process, the HYDRAA said.
Interestingly, plot owners from older layouts in the area were seen celebrating the move. Some even burst firecrackers, welcoming what they described as long-overdue government intervention. Many of them have been engaged in prolonged legal battles, asserting their rights over the land while contesting rival claims.
They alleged that a third party, identified as MA Mukheem, had been illegally selling portions of the land despite ongoing court disputes. They seemed to be happy that the land went into the hands of the government from MA Mukheem’s control. They said that if they win the case, the plots would be theirs; if not, they would go to the government, HYDRAA in an official release said.
A major aspect of the operation was the demolition of structures allegedly built in violation of court orders. These included a guest house and a sprawling farmhouse complex linked to Mukheem, spread over nearly 40 acres in Survey Nos. 1 to 220 in Iylapur village of Ameenpur mandal.
The HYDRAA said that the Andhra Pradesh High Court had, as far back as 1998, clearly ruled that no construction should take place on these government lands.
However, defying the order, Mukheem reportedly constructed a guest house in 2006 and went on to develop additional structures, including a farmhouse, fencing off the area and restricting access.
Authorities also demolished a six-storey apartment building constructed by Mukheem’s brother, MA Azeem, over 2.2 acres. The guest house, equipped with luxury amenities such as a swimming pool, along with ancillary buildings, horse stables, and boundary structures, was razed during the drive.
The government took serious note of ongoing land transactions in the disputed area, despite pending court cases. Officials said that Mukheem and his associates had been allegedly selling plots indiscriminately, disregarding both legal constraints and administrative warnings.
With Saturday’s action, authorities effectively put a full stop to such activities. The entire reclaimed stretch of 861 acres has now been secured with fencing to prevent fresh encroachments. The operation was carried out in the presence of revenue and municipal officials, ensuring procedural transparency, the HYDRAA said.
Out of a total of 1,263 acres identified as government land in the area, some portions already have residential constructions. Officials maintained that only vacant land was taken over, while existing dwellings of economically weaker sections were spared.
The land in question, located in Iylapur village of Ameenpur mandal, spans Survey Numbers 1–220 and measures approximately 1,263 acres. Historical records indicate that the land originally belonged to the Nizam’s administration and was later recorded as government land following integration.
In 2003, a Division Bench of the High Court, in a batch of cases, upheld the classification of the land as government property. Subsequently, the then Joint Collector formally declared the entire extent as government land.
However, the dispute is layered. In the 1980s, two layouts — Rajagopalnagar Colony (495 acres) and Vidyut Employees Cooperative Housing Society (131 acres) — were developed in parts of the land. Besides, one family has been claiming ownership of around 475 acres, with cases pending in court awaiting final adjudication.
Locals allege that Mukheem’s father had originally acquired about 19 acres through an arrangement linked to a former Diwan under the Nizam. However, beyond this extent, Mukheem is accused of encroaching upon additional land — nearly 21 acres — and constructing a farmhouse, besides selling plots across hundreds of acres.
The high court had issued a stay order on the land as early as 1998 and reiterated similar directions in 2013, clearly stating that the status quo must be maintained and that no changes should be made to the nature of the land.
Despite these directives, unauthorised constructions continued, and land sales reportedly went unchecked for years. Several writ appeals and civil suits related to the land, including W.A. Nos. 114, 115, 116, 126 of 2013 and A.S. No. 520 of 2010—are still pending before the High Court.
Acting on reports from the Ameenpur Tahsildar, HYDRAA undertook the current operation in line with court instructions to preserve the land in its original condition until final legal resolution.
Layout owners and local residents also pointed to Mukheem’s alleged criminal background. According to them, multiple cases — reportedly around 19 — have been registered against him across police stations, including serious charges such as double murder and attempt to murder. A rowdy sheet had also been opened against him in the past, they claimed.
There are also allegations that he amassed wealth by illegally selling government land, with proceeds reportedly invested in properties across other states. In one instance, authorities had demolished around 250 structures in 2023 in Rajagopalnagar Colony, which were allegedly built on plots sold by him, the HYDRAA said.
HYDDRAA claimed that it was a decisive step in restoring the rule of law over contested government lands. For years, the area had been a legal and administrative grey zone, with competing claims, alleged encroachments, and unauthorised transactions muddying the waters.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
