Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has ordered a temporary halt to work on the Kancha Gachibowli lands until tomorrow.
The decision was made after arguments were held in the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Vata Foundation and students from Hyderabad Central University (HCU), who are seeking to have the land designated as a national park.
During the hearing, L Ravi Shankar, representing HCU, argued that in June 2024, the state government issued GO 54, transferring 400 acres of government land to the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC). He contended that even government land must be managed in accordance with Supreme Court rulings, emphasising that trees were being felled and the land flattened using heavy machinery. He cited Supreme Court guidelines that require an expert committee to assess the impact before clearing forested areas, particularly those with rare wildlife.
On behalf of the state government, Advocate General Sudarshan Reddy argued that the land was initially allocated to IMG Academy in 2004, but the allocation was later revoked due to non-utilization. He asserted that the land in question is not classified as forest land, pointing out that there are large buildings and helipads in adjacent HCU areas. He also dismissed the petitioners’ claims, stating that by their logic, many areas in Hyderabad with trees and wildlife would have to be declared forest lands, which would hinder urban development.
The High Court questioned whether there were any official records designating the 400 acres as industrial land. After hearing both sides, the bench ordered an immediate stop to all work on the disputed lands and scheduled the next hearing for April 3.
