Telangana Plans Rs 2,000-Crore Land Auction, Fresh Flashpoint Between Revanth Reddy And BRS
Telangana’s proposed land auction creates a fresh political confrontation.
The proposed auction of 10.63 acres of prime land at Raidurg Panmaktha in Hyderabad has triggered a fresh political dispute between the ruling Congress government and the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). The Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) is scheduled to auction two parcels measuring 5.25 acres and 5.38 acres on August 17 and 21, respectively. The reserve price has been fixed at Rs 175 crore per acre, putting the combined minimum value of the land at around Rs 1,860 crore.
The proposed sale has drawn criticism from BRS leader and former minister T Harish Rao, who has questioned the government's decision to proceed with the auction despite alleged unresolved ownership, heritage and Waqf-related issues. In an open letter to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Rao questioned why another auction was being conducted in the same survey number when earlier land sales had already faced legal challenges. He accused the government of rushing to monetise valuable public land and questioned the Chief Minister's approach to government assets.
The latest auction follows two major land sales in the Raidurg area earlier this year. In May, a 6.29-acre parcel was sold for Rs 1,490.73 crore, translating to around Rs 237 crore per acre. A second parcel measuring 5.09 acres was auctioned in June for Rs 1,038.36 crore. Together, the two transactions generated around Rs 2,529 crore. The government could potentially raise Rs 2,000-2,500 crore or more from the latest parcels if competitive bidding pushes prices significantly above the reserve value.
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The earlier auctions also became the subject of a legal dispute. The State Bank of India challenged the May sale, claiming rights over roughly five acres of the 6.29-acre parcel. The Telangana High Court subsequently ordered a three-week freeze on proceedings before the state and the bank reached a settlement. SBI agreed to an alternative proposal and withdrew its case. Separately, Waqf activists have claimed that portions of Survey No. 83 were recorded as Waqf property in 2010, adding to questions surrounding ownership and land records.
Harish Rao has demanded that the proposed August auctions be halted until heritage, revenue, survey and Waqf records are examined. He also warned prospective bidders that purchasing land facing ownership disputes could expose them to future litigation. His criticism has added a political dimension to the proposed sales, with the BRS questioning the government's decision to proceed despite controversies surrounding earlier auctions in the area.
The state government, however, has defended the proposed auction as part of its broader effort to monetise premium government land and generate revenue. With the reserve price already set at Rs 175 crore per acre, the sale could become another significant source of funds for Telangana if bidding exceeds expectations. At the same time, the allegations over ownership and records are likely to keep the Raidurg land auctions at the centre of the political confrontation between the Congress government and the BRS.
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