Hilly terrain levelled to build road to ex-BRS minister’s residence

HYDERABAD: The revenue department and police are probing into the incident of a public access road being laid by private parties on government land worth Rs 500 crore to Orion Villas gated community in Madhuranagar, which houses a top Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and a former minister.

None of the state agencies — Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad Road Development Corporation and Rangareddy revenue department — had a clue about the road being constructed near the Khajaguda lake.

Revenue officials lodged a complaint with the Cyberabad police for laying a road encroaching 8.2 guntas of government land. They also erected a board warning strict action against encroachers and trespassers.

In addition to bulldozing and levelling the hilly terrain to lay the road, saplings were also planted on the same land.

Sources, who confirmed that a former BRS minister’s family resides in Orion Villas, said that the development of a new road by bulldozing the hills would provide the gated community residents better access to the main road.

According to a source, the work started when the model code of conduct (MCC) was in place for the state Assembly polls and the works continued till two days ago.

“The works related to the road finally stopped only after roads & buildings minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy warned the encroachers of strict action and after a police complaint was filed,” a source in the revenue department said.

The minister directed the officials of the departments concerned, including the chief commissioner of land administration (CCLA), to immediately stop the work. On Thursday, officials of revenue and Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) visited the spot, as the land parcel was allotted to the HMRL for the Hyderabad Airport Metro line.