The Telangana Government clarified that the land earmarked for the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) project in Survey No: 25 of Kancha Gachibowli is fully owned by the government and not classified as forest land.
The project, according to the government, is poised to unlock investments of around Rs 50,000 crore and will generate employment for ‘around 5 lakh people.’
As per revenue records, the land, measuring 2,324 acres, is classified as ‘Kancha Asthabal Poramboke Sarkari,’ indicating that it is government land. In 1975, the University of Hyderabad was given this land, but ownership was never transferred. Later, in 2004, the government took over 534 acres from HCU and handed over 400 acres to the Sports Authority and 134 acres to Telangana NGOs. In return, the HCU was given an alternative piece of land measuring 397 acres in Survey Nos. 36 and 37, which was accepted by the HCU under a panchanama.
The land was never notified as forest land, either in revenue records or in Forest Department records. The Forest Department had filed a counter affidavit in the PIL now before the High Court, stating that the land is not forest land.
Regarding its legal history, the government pointed out that in 2004, the United Andhra Pradesh Government allotted the land to IMG Academies Bharata Private Limited, but the allotment was annulled by a special Act in 2007. The High Court on March 7, 2024, upheld the annulment, and the Supreme Court dismissed the Special Leave Petition filed by IMG on May 3, 2024. The government engaged the Attorney General of India to argue the case before the Supreme Court.
After the court verdict, TGIIC submitted a requisition for the land. After careful examination, the State Cabinet approved the alienation proposal on June 21, 2024, and the land was formally handed over to the TGIIC on July 1, 2024, through proper procedures, including a panchanama.
The government emphasized that during the prolonged litigation, neither the University of Hyderabad nor any other party claimed ownership of the land. However, despite not having legal possession, the university built a structure on about 10 acres without GHMC or Fire Department permissions.
The government also dismissed allegations of loss of green cover, stating that the land is rocky, barren terrain, as shown by Google Earth images from 2010 and 2020. The existing vegetation is attributed to the land remaining undeveloped due to the legal dispute. Within 5 km of the site, the government has already developed significant lung spaces, including the 274-acre KBR Botanical Garden and the 535-acre Golf Course in the Financial District.
The government said that following the favourable Supreme Court order, it acted swiftly to protect and hand over the land for development. The planned IT and mixed-use project is expected to attract investments of around Rs 50,000 crore and create 5 lakh jobs.
