The Telangana government has announced ambitious plans to expand the IT corridor in Hyderabad, targeting government-owned lands in key areas of Rangareddy district. The Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) is preparing to establish additional IT companies and technology clusters across Serilingampalli, Gandipet, and Rajendranagar mandals. This decision follows the recent successful auction of TGIIC lands near Gachibowli, which fetched prices exceeding Rs. 170 crore per acre, demonstrating the high commercial value of properties in the IT corridor.
The expansion plan comes at a time when authorities have uncovered widespread illegal attempts to acquire government lands through fraudulent means. Officials have discovered that unauthorized individuals have been systematically altering land records to claim ownership of government properties. Approximately 60 percent of villages and agricultural lands surrounding Hyderabad were originally donated during the reign of the Nizam Nawab. Due to the absence of legal heirs and gaps in revenue record-keeping, around 90 percent of these lands have become government property over time.
Revenue officials report that certain individuals are creating forged documents and approaching courts with false claims. These claimants allege they have received donations from the Nizam’s heirs or possess General Power of Attorney (GPA) documents for these properties. The fraudulent activities have resulted in numerous land disputes across multiple villages in the proposed expansion zones. In Serilingampalli mandal alone, disputes over 180 acres of government land are currently ongoing across three villages.
The situation is similarly concerning in Gandipet mandal, where private individuals have created disputes over approximately 200 acres of land spread across four villages. These encroachments and fraudulent claims pose significant challenges to the government’s expansion plans for the IT corridor. The scale of illegal land grabbing has prompted authorities to take decisive action to protect public assets and ensure the smooth implementation of infrastructure projects.
To combat encroachments and protect government properties, officials have initiated comprehensive digital surveys of all government sites and water bodies. The revenue department is procuring new advanced equipment specifically designed for accurate land measurement and encroachment detection. These modern surveying tools will enable authorities to precisely determine the extent of illegal encroachments on government lands and take appropriate legal action against violators.
The digital survey initiative represents a significant step toward securing government assets for legitimate development purposes. Officials stated that the new technology will provide clear data on exactly how much land has been encroached upon in each location. This information will be crucial for both reclaiming illegally occupied lands and proceeding with the planned expansion of the IT corridor, which is expected to attract more technology companies and create additional employment opportunities in the region.
