Telangana Government Fights Ownership Battle Over Rs 60,000 Crore Land
The Telangana government has taken immediate action to protect approximately 1,200 acres of government land, valued at an estimated Rs 60,000 crore, in Hyderabad. Located in high-demand areas such as Hafeezpet, Madhapur, and Kondapur, this land is at the centre of an intense legal battle involving private firms and individuals who claim ownership. The Rangareddy district administration, tasked with safeguarding the land, is working to prevent unauthorised registration of these properties, following specific directives from the Telangana High Court.
The district collector has recently issued a revised prohibition list to the registration and stamps department, asking them to halt the registration of disputed land. This move comes after the High Court’s instructions, which had earlier ordered the state to take necessary measures to protect the land from unlawful transactions. This list revision, the first of its kind in nearly a decade, specifically targets land in survey numbers 55, 66, 67, 74 to 80, 100, 103, 104, 151, 157, and 167, located in Hafeezpet. In an interview with the media, Rangareddy district collector C Narayana Reddy confirmed that the revised list of survey numbers had been sent to the registration department in compliance with the High Court’s directives. The court had previously emphasised the importance of following procedures to prevent the registration of these disputed properties. The district administration had attempted similar measures in 2013 and 2016, but the efforts were occasionally bypassed due to procedural lapses, allowing certain registrations to go through.
One of the most contentious areas of this dispute concerns survey numbers 77 to 80. Advocate P Pratap, representing Trinity Infra, a company involved in the legal battle, argued that the district collector had violated High Court orders by submitting the list of survey numbers, particularly 77 to 80, for prohibition. These numbers have been a source of continuous litigation for years, with complex issues surrounding their ownership. Survey number 80, in particular, has become a focal point due to an ongoing status quo order issued by the Supreme Court. The government, the state waqf board, and Trinity Infra are all parties in the legal proceedings concerning this land. Despite the status of these lands as government property, many individuals and companies have laid claim to them, and, in some cases, encroached on the land.
For instance, although survey number 80 is officially recorded as 484 acres of government land, only 50 acres remain vacant, with various structures built without proper authorisation on the remaining land. The dispute over these lands is not new; survey numbers 77 to 80 are part of the Khursheed Jah Paigah land, a subject of legal contention for several decades. The situation in Hafeezpet adds another layer of complexity. A private firm recently succeeded in removing its survey number from the prohibition list, allowing registration to proceed. However, the government has now re-imposed restrictions on that land, effectively halting the registration process once again.
The land in question, spanning over several survey numbers, includes large parcels, some of which have already been allocated to government agencies such as municipal and energy departments. Despite these efforts, the ownership of the land remains highly contested, with both private and public entities continuing to battle for control. This land dispute highlights the challenges faced by the Telangana government in protecting valuable public assets from illegal claims and encroachment. The government’s ongoing efforts to halt registration of disputed properties are essential in ensuring that public land remains protected and used for its intended purpose. However, the resolution of this issue will require continuous legal intervention and a clear policy to safeguard public land from future encroachment.
