Hyderabad: The Telangana government has released a report explaining the ownership of 400 acres of land located within the Hyderabad Central University campus. This comes amid student protests and political arguments over the issue.
According to the report, the land was officially registered under the name of the Telangana Industrial and Investments Corporation (TGIIC) on June 24, 2024. This happened after a land survey was carried out by the Revenue Department, with the help of university officials. The state government also said that the boundaries of the land were finalized with the approval of the university management on July 19, 2023.
The government rejected opposition claims that lakes inside the university—such as the Peacock Lake and Buffalo Lake—were being destroyed to make way for IT development projects. In a statement, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that TGIIC has not taken over any land belonging to the university and has not harmed any lakes or rock formations. The statement also said that the survey showed the university does not officially own any part of the 400-acre plot.
The land in question was originally given to IMG Academies Bharat Private Limited in January 2004 by the then Andhra Pradesh government, before Telangana became a separate state. The company was supposed to build a sports complex but failed to do so. As a result, the land deal was canceled in November 2006, and a legal battle followed for almost two decades.
In May 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Telangana government, confirming its ownership of the land. In February 2024, TGIIC issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to develop the land based on a master plan. As part of the plan, important natural features like the famous Mushroom rock and other rock formations will be preserved as green spaces.
The government also said it will create a detailed Environmental Management Plan (EMP) to ensure that development in the area is sustainable. According to officials, the land was legally acquired through court proceedings, and the government now plans to use it responsibly.
