Telangana Revenue, Housing, Information & Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy announced the formation of a high-level committee to address issues related to prohibited lands under Section 22A across the state. The minister made this announcement after conducting an extensive review meeting at the secretariat with collectors, additional collectors, RDOs, district registrars, and sub-registrars from Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Sangareddy, and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts. The committee will convene weekly to review pending applications and make decisions on resolving land-related disputes.
The minister revealed that the prohibited lands problem is primarily concentrated in four districts, with Medchal-Malkajgiri district alone having 511 pending applications. He directed officials to resolve all 22A applications in the remaining districts by the end of this month. The government has established a toll-free number 1800 5994788 for citizens to obtain information about prohibited lands, with a commitment to provide responses within three days. The minister emphasized that applications will be resolved within 15 days, and if registration is not possible, clear reasons must be provided to the public.
Minister Reddy outlined several specific issues that will be addressed by the committee. In Hyderabad district, conflicts arose when survey numbers issued by TS LRS and the survey department overlapped with those issued by GHMC. In Ranga Reddy district, cases were identified where entire properties were placed under 22A restrictions due to small portions being classified as Bhoodan lands. The minister directed that through geo-tagging, registration should be done for actual locations and remaining lands should be made freehold.
The minister acknowledged that past administrative actions, including removals from the prohibited list under High Court orders, created complications that continue to affect ordinary citizens today. He offered an apology for the hardships caused by official actions but clarified that the government is taking responsibility to resolve these issues rather than shifting blame onto officials. He assured that no injustice will be done to genuine property owners in the name of prohibited lands while simultaneously ensuring protection for government lands.
A comprehensive report is being prepared on Bhoodan lands in the state, including pending issues, disputes, and resolution pathways. The minister informed that the ULC list is being corrected and appropriate actions will be taken within two days to ensure justice for genuine right holders. He also mentioned that long-standing issues related to CS-7 and CS-14 cases, which have been entangled in court proceedings for decades, will be examined and decisions will be made.
The minister directed officials to subdivide private lands in Alwyn and Asbestos Colonies in Hyderabad to eliminate registration hassles. He instructed that if registration fees have been paid, they should be refunded according to rules in cases where registration cannot proceed. The minister suggested increasing the number of slot bookings if necessary to expedite the registration process through special slots, ensuring immediate registration for eligible properties.
