HYDRAA secures 198 acres around Khajaguda heritage rock formations

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The rock face of Khajaguda heritage precinct. | Photo Credit: Serish Nanisetti

The Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency carried out a major operation on Friday to protect government land on which the heritage rock formations stand at the Puppalaguda–Khajaguda border in Gandipet mandal of Rangareddy district.

HYDRAA fenced 198 acres of government land on Friday, including an area containing ancient rock formations estimated to be around 2.5 billion years old. The land forms part of approximately 200 acres previously allotted by the State government to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority.

The site has long been at the centre of efforts by the Society to Save Rocks, whose representatives have campaigned for decades to protect the rock formations and approached the High Court seeking safeguards. In 2019, the court directed Municipal and Revenue authorities to protect the government land and rock formations. However, delays in boundary demarcation and fencing reportedly led to encroachment concerns.

Following complaints raised during HYDRAA’s public grievance programme Prajavani, Commissioner A.V. Ranganath conducted field inspections and ascertained the ground situation. HYDRA officials, along with Revenue and Municipal authorities, subsequently verified the land records and confirmed the area as government land before taking up fencing works.

According to Revenue records, Survey No. 452/1 contains 174 acres of government land, while Survey No. 454/1 contains 119.05 acres, taking the total to 293.05 acres. Of this, 263.05 acres had been allotted to HMDA. Due to overlapping boundary issues between two villages, 63.05 acres were later identified as privately owned, leaving around 200 acres with HMDA.

Revenue records also show that portions of land in the area were allotted to religious structures. After accounting for these allocations, HYDRAA fenced the remaining HMDA land. The area also includes the Bhagirathamma Cheruvu, which HYDRA is currently r