Nagarjuna's Convention Center Bulldozed For Encroaching Lake In Telangana, Actor Calls Action ‘Unlawful’

The Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection (HYDRAA) authority on Saturday began the demolition of actor Akkineni Nagarjuna’s N Convention Centre in Madhapur area of Ranga Reddy district in Telangana.

This action was part of an ongoing drive to remove illegal constructions that have encroached on water bodies and public lands in the state. The demolition drive began in the early hours of Saturday, with HYDRA officials arriving on-site, accompanied by a contingent of police personnel to ensure the process proceeded without interruption.

The convention center, spanning across 10 acre, was found to be in violation of several land use and environmental regulations. The center had allegedly encroached upon the Tummidikunta lake, occupying 1.12 acre within the Full Tank Level (FTL) and an additional 2 acre within the lake’s buffer zone, NDTV report said.

Meanwhile, the actor expressed his anger and said that the demolition was carried in an unlawful manner. In a post on X, Nagarjuna said, “Pained by the unlawful manner of demolition carried out in respect of N Convention, contrary to existing stay orders and Court cases. I thought it fit to issue this statement to place on record certain facts for protecting my reputation and to indicate that we have not done any actions in violation of law.

Nagarjuna claimed that the land on which the property was constructed was the Patta land and no tank plan’s land was encroached.

“The land is a Patta land, and not even an inch of tank plan is encroached. In respect of the building constructed inside the private land, there is a stay order granted against any earlier illegal notice for demolition. Today clearly, the demolition was carried out wrongfully based on misinformation,” he said.

He further claimed that no prior notice was issued before carrying out the demolition. The actor said that he would be approaching the court against the action.

“No notice was issued prior to carrying out the demolition this morning. As a law-abiding citizen, if the Court before which the matter is pending, had decided against me, I would have carried out the demolition myself. I am placing this on record for the purpose of correcting any public misimpression about wrongful constructions or encroachment by us. We would be seeking appropriate relief from the Court in relation to the wrong actions carried out by the authorities,” he added.

For years, the management of N-Convention has faced accusations of using their influence to bypass regulatory actions from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and other higher authorities, thus avoiding the repercussions of their encroachments.

Earlier this week, illegal constructions in the FTL and buffer zone areas of Gandipet Lake were demolished, several news reports said.