Hyderabad: The Telangana government has accused the BRS and BJP parties of working together and encouraging students and activists to protest the auction of 400 acres of land near Hyderabad Central University (HCU) at Kancha Gachibowli.
After a meeting with cabinet ministers, civil society members, retired professors such as Professor Haragopal, and protesting students, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, IT Minister D Sreedhar Babu, and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy spoke to the media. They claimed that the opposition is blocking the city’s growth and stopping efforts to create jobs for young people.
The ministers assured the public that no part of HCU’s land would be affected. They also promised to protect the area’s natural features such as rock formations, Peacock Lake, and other environmental spots.
They explained that back in 2004, the University of Hyderabad gave up its rights to the 400 acres. In return, the university received 397 acres in Gopanpalli from the TDP government in what was then united Andhra Pradesh. The university even built an illegal building on 10 acres of the government-owned land.
When the Congress government led by Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy came to power in 2006, it canceled the land deal with a private company, IMG Bharata. The company took the matter to court, and it remained unresolved for years. The previous BRS government did not act on the issue during its 10-year rule.
However, the current government took the case forward, and in May 2024, the High Court ruled in the state’s favor.
The ministers also said they informed the HCU Vice Chancellor about the development plans a week before starting the process. Now that the legal issues are settled, the state plans to auction the land to build an IT park.
They urged students to stop protesting and said the government is open to dropping legal cases filed against students involved in past demonstrations.
