Actor Nagarjuna Akkineni has secured a stay order from the Telangana High Court halting the demolition of his N-Convention facility in Hyderabad. The demolition, initiated on Saturday morning by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRA), was met with strong opposition from the actor, who called the action unlawful.

Nagarjuna's team released a statement confirming the High Court's decision, stating that Justice T Vinod Kumar granted the stay order after reviewing the actor's petition. The statement clarified that the court's interim order halted all further demolition activity.

Earlier, Nagarjuna took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his dismay at the unlawful demolition, claiming it defied existing court orders and ongoing legal cases. He highlighted that N-Convention was built on patta land (legally registered) and had not encroached on the nearby Tummidikunta lake. He further asserted that a previous court order had already prohibited the demolition of the building on his private land.

The actor maintained that the demolition was carried out based on misinformation and without proper notice. He emphasized his commitment to upholding the law and stated that he would have willingly complied with any court decision against him regarding the structure.

స్టే ఆర్డర్‌లు మరియు కోర్టు కేసులకు విరుద్ధంగా ఎన్ కన్వెన్షన్‌కు సంబంధించి కూల్చివేతలు చేపట్టడం బాధాకరం. మా ప్రతిష్టను కాపాడటం కోసం, కొన్ని వాస్తవాలను తెలియజేయడం కోసం మరియు చట్టాన్ని ఉల్లంఘించేలా మేము ఎటువంటి చర్యలు చేపట్టలేదని తెలుపుట కొరకు ఈ ప్రకటనను జారీ చేయడం సరైనదని నేను…

— Nagarjuna Akkineni (@iamnagarjuna) August 24, 2024

HYDRA officials, however, cited the convention centre's location within the Full Tank Level (FTL) of the Tummidikunta lake as the primary reason for the demolition. They argued that the structure contributed to frequent flooding in surrounding areas like the 100-feet road and Ayyappa Colony.

N-Convention, a popular venue for events and conferences, boasts a 27,000 sq ft main hall accommodating 3,000 people and a 26,000 sq ft open-air venue known as Banyan. The facility is jointly owned by Nagarjuna and Nalla Preetham and managed by N3 Enterprises.

This ongoing dispute highlights the complex legal and environmental issues surrounding development in Hyderabad, particularly in relation to encroaching on water bodies. The High Court's stay order will likely lead to further legal proceedings, with both parties presenting their arguments regarding the legality of the demolition and the impact of N-Convention on the lake and surrounding areas.