Hyderabad: Property Owners Oppose Land Acquisition for Elevated Corridor Project
The government has issued a primary notification to acquire land for the construction of two elevated corridors in Secunderabad Cantonment. In response, the Rajiv Rahadari Property Owners’ Association has raised strong objections, demanding the protection of their land. The group has urged the government to rethink the project’s design and reduce the proposed road widening from 200 feet to 120 feet.
According to the notification, a total of 27,389.81 square yards of land in Alwal village and mandal, Medchal-Malkajgiri district, is required for the public purpose of building an elevated corridor. This corridor will connect Paradise Junction to Shamirpet at the Outer Ring Road (ORR) Junction on Rajiv Rahadari (SH01). The Additional Collector (Revenue) of Medchal-Malkajgiri district has been appointed as the Administrator for the Rehabilitation and Resettlement of affected families. The proposed project will link Paradise Junction with Dairy Farm, Suchitra, Medchal, and the 44th National Highway, extending from Patny to Toli Junction and onwards to the Shamirpet ORR.
Property owners have expressed concerns, stating that widening the road to 200 feet is unnecessary and that 120 feet would suffice. Many of the affected individuals are senior citizens who rely on their properties for livelihood, food, and medical needs. They have repeatedly asked state officials to redesign the project to minimize the impact on residents.
The residents argue that a 200-foot-wide road is impractical in densely populated areas. A highway with 10 lanes, green spaces, and beautification features, similar to inter-state highways, would make it difficult for pedestrians to cross. Building pedestrian skyways at frequent intervals would also be challenging, especially with future plans for a metro rail deck along the same stretch. They believe such large-scale highways should not be constructed in the heart of a developed and densely populated city.
Telukunta Satish Gupta, convener of the Rajiv Rahadari Property Owners’ Joint Action Committee (JAC), clarified, “We are not against development but are concerned about our properties, which are now under threat. We have submitted multiple representations to the Secunderabad Cantonment officials and the state government, requesting them to reconsider the plan. In similar cases, the government has revised its decisions, and we hope the same will happen for the Rajiv Rahadari stretch.”
Vidhyasagar, a property owner and resident of Thumkunta, highlighted that his name appeared in the government’s recent notification. He suggested that the elevated corridor could be planned along other lanes near Thumkunta to reduce the impact on livelihoods and businesses. “The government should reconsider our plea, as the current road widening decision puts many of us at risk,” he said.
The affected residents continue to appeal to the government, emphasizing the need to balance development with the protection of their communities and livelihoods.
