Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 13 : BRS Deputy Floor Leader and former minister T Harish Rao on Thursday demanded that the Telangana government immediately cancel the proposed auction of 10.63 acres of land at Raidurg Panmaktha village, alleging that the land was subject to heritage, ownership and legal disputes.
In an open letter to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, BRS leader Harish Rao questioned the decision of the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) to auction the land in Survey No. 83/1 on August 17 and 21. He alleged that Survey No. 83 had been declared a Heritage Precinct under G.O.Ms.No.4 of the Municipal Administration Department dated January 2, 2003, and questioned how the government could proceed with its auction without first establishing its legal status and ownership.
"Are you the Chief Minister or a real estate agent, Revanth Reddy?" Harish Rao asked, alleging that the government was treating public assets as commercial property.
A senior BRS leader also referred to a 2020 case in which, he said, Revanth Reddy, then in the Opposition, had approached the Telangana High Court seeking protection against the creation of third-party interests in land falling under the same Survey No. 83.
"How can the same person, after becoming Chief Minister, permit the creation of third-party interests over the very same disputed land? Is there one rule in Opposition and another in power?" he asked.
He said 6.2 acres from the same survey number had earlier been auctioned for around Rs 237 crore per acre, following which the State Bank of India claimed ownership over the property and approached the court. The matter is pending before the Telangana High Court, he said.
Despite the dispute, the government was now proposing to auction another 10.63 acres in two parcels measuring approximately 5.25 acres and 5.38 acres, Harish Rao said.
He claimed that the land was subject to competing claims relating to heritage precincts, revenue, title and Waqf, and added that Jamia Nizamia had also asserted rights over the land.
Referring to the Supreme Court's observations in Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 1866 of 2024 dated May 7, 2025, Harish Rao said the court had emphasised preservation of the property and avoiding the creation of third-party interests, subject to due process of law.
He alleged that proceeding with the auction could create further third-party interests and complicate the existing legal disputes.
Questioning the government's urgency to auction the land valued at approximately Rs 2000 crore, Harish Rao said the government should first establish ownership and resolve all legal issues relating to the land.
He also referred to previous controversies surrounding land at Kancha Gachibowli, Lagacherla and Maulana Azad National Urdu University, alleging that the Congress government was increasingly treating public land as a source of revenue.
Harish Rao demanded suspension of the August 17 and 21 auctions and called for a comprehensive examination of heritage, revenue, survey, title and Waqf records relating to Survey No. 83.
He also sought a review of the earlier auction of 6.2 acres, including the ownership claim raised by SBI and the pending litigation.
Warning prospective bidders, Harish Rao said purchase of the disputed land could expose them to prolonged legal complications if competing ownership, heritage precincts or Waqf claims were upheld by the competent authorities.
"Heritage precincts must be protected, not sold for short-term financial gains," he said, urging the Chief Minister to withdraw the proposed auctions and resolve the ownership dispute in accordance with law.