Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday said that the development of 400 acres of government land in Kancha Gachibowli would unlock huge investment and employment potential, which would spur the growth of Telangana in general and Hyderabad in particular.
He said that once fully operational, the development could bring in over Rs 50,000 crore in investments and create job opportunities for up to five lakh people.
Official sources said the Chief Minister, speaking at a review meeting with officials, accused the BRS and the BJP of inciting protests among UoH students for their own political gain. He expressed anger that these vested interests were obstructing the state’s progress and hindering Telangana’s growth trajectory, which he referred to as obstructing “Telangana Rising.”
On Monday, Revanth Reddy held a review meeting on the Kancha Gachibowli land development. Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and D. Sridhar Babu, Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari, and senior officials from the revenue department and CMO were present in the meeting. The discussions mainly revolved around the controversy surrounding the land, along with protests at the University of Hyderabad (UoH).
Addressing concerns over the land’s classification, Revanth Reddy clarified that Survey No. 25 of Kancha Gachibowli was never designated as forest land in the revenue records. He pointed out that both the Google Earth maps from 2010 and 2020 showed the area as barren, rocky terrain with no green cover. The Chief Minister explained that neglect and prolonged litigation between 2006 and 2024 led to the growth of bushes, but stressed that such vegetation was not indicative of a forest ecosystem.
The Chief Minister also defended the state’s development plan, asserting that the delays caused by over two-long decade litigation since 2003 that ended in May 2024, were the main reason the land had remained underutilised.
He said that once a favourable ruling from the Supreme Court was obtained in 2024, the Congress government planned to swiftly develop the land and handed it over to the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC). Revanth Reddy noted the significant demand for IT and mixed-use development in the surrounding financial district, making this project a timely and necessary move.
The Chief Minister dismissed allegations about the loss of green cover as unfounded. He pointed out that there were several large green spaces within a 5 km radius of the land, including the KVBR Botanical Garden, the Financial District Golf Course, and institutions like the Indian School of Business, which are situated near the area.
Additionally, the government has committed to preserving the area’s historical rock formations, including Mushroom Rock, by developing a park around them as part of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP).
Revanth Reddy said that the UoH had previously handed over 342 acres of land in 10 instances since 1990 without raising any objections. He also noted that despite legal disputes and land ownership issues, UoH had built structures on the disputed 400-acre land without obtaining necessary permissions from the GHMC or the fire department.
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