Hyderabad: Encroachments around the well-known Durgam Cheruvu lake are now being closely examined. HYDRA, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, has issued notices to residents in the Durgam Cheruvu area for building houses within the Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zone of the lake. A demolition drive is expected to start soon.
Among the prominent individuals affected by this action is A Tirupati Reddy, the brother of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. He owns a house in the Madhapur Amar Cooperative Society. On Thursday, the authorities, led by the Rangareddy District Collector and Serilingampally Additional Collector, issued notices under the WALTA (Telangana Water, Land, and Trees) Act. These notices were sent to houses in Nectars Colony, Kavuri Hills, Doctors Colony, and other nearby areas. The officials marked the houses that fall under the FTL and Non-Development Zone (NDZ) with an “F,” indicating that they should be demolished within 30 days of receiving the notice.
The State government has been actively demolishing illegal constructions in FTLs and buffer zones around lakes and water bodies. During an informal discussion with the media, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy emphasized that owning land in the FTL is not the problem; the issue is the illegal construction on such land. He confirmed that HYDRA will be demolishing these illegal structures. The current action in the Amar Society is seen as part of the broader effort to clear encroachments around the lake.
Durgam Cheruvu, also known as Raidurgam Cheruvu, is a freshwater lake located in the Rangareddy district. The lake once covered an area of about 100 acres but has now shrunk to 64 acres.
The lake is often referred to as the “Secret Lake” because it is hidden between the Jubilee Hills and Madhapur localities. A notification issued before 2014 had declared the area surrounding the lake as a Non-Development Zone. However, due to the absence of a final notification, illegal constructions have flourished. Over recent years, these encroachments have led to the establishment of residences belonging to influential figures, including judges, political leaders, engineers, and retired officials. It is said that the area now hosts homes of prominent politicians and film personalities.
In response to the notices, Chief Minister’s brother A Tirupati Reddy stated, “If my house is illegal, it should be demolished. If you give me time, I will take the goods out of the house and vacate. Serilingampally revenue officials have given a notice. I have not been contacted by any official so far. I bought a residence in Amar Society in 2016-17. I had no information that this building was in FTL when I purchased it. My house is in the buffer zone. Notices were given according to the WALTA Act. Permission was given for this layout in 1995. BRS is taking the issue of my house and politicizing it.”
