- Proposed auction of 10.63 acres in Raidurg has sparked political controversy in Telangana
- Opposition leader Harish Rao has cited unresolved legal, ownership, and Waqf issues in land sale
- TGIIC plans to auction land on August 17 and 21 with a reserve price of Rs 175 crore per acre
The proposed auction of 10.63 acres of prime land at Telangana's Raidurg has triggered a fresh political row, with opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader and former minister T Harish Rao blaming the Revanth Reddy government for rushing to sell valuable land despite unresolved legal and ownership issues.
The Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) is set to auction two parcels of land -- 5.25 acres and 5.38 acres -- in Survey No. 83/1 at Raidurg Panmaktha on August 17 and 21.
The reserve price is Rs 175 crore per acre, putting the minimum value of the two parcels at about Rs 1,860 crore.
Based on recent bidding trends in Raidurg, the government could potentially raise Rs 2,000-2,500 crore or more if the auction attracts competitive bids.
In an open letter to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Harish Rao alleged that the land has unresolved heritage, ownership and Waqf-related issues.
He questioned why the government was going ahead with another auction in the same survey when disputes over previously auctioned land had already reached the courts.
"Are you the Chief Minister or a real estate agent?" he mocked, alleging that the government was selling public assets wherever land was available. He also accused Revanth Reddy of taking a different position after coming to power from the stand he had taken while in the Opposition.
The latest auction comes after two record-breaking sales in the same Raidurg area. In May, 6.29 acres fetched Rs 1,490.73 crore, or Rs 237 crore an acre.
Another 5.09-acre parcel was sold in June for Rs 1,038.36 crore, taking the combined proceeds to about Rs 2,529 crore. Those sales also led to a legal dispute. The State Bank of India challenged the May auction, claiming rights over about five acres of the 6.29-acre parcel.
The Telangana High Court subsequently ordered a three-week freeze on proceedings. The state and SBI later settled, with the bank agreeing to an alternative proposal and to withdraw its case.
Waqf activists have separately claimed that portions of Survey No. 83 were recorded as Waqf property in 2010, adding another layer to the ownership controversy.
Harish Rao has now demanded that the August auctions be stopped until heritage, revenue, survey and Waqf records are examined. He warned bidders that purchasing disputed land could lead to future litigation.
The government, however, has defended that the new parcels are being auctioned as premium commercial land and are part of its effort to monetise government assets.
The proposed sale is expected to bring another major revenue windfall to the state if bidding crosses the reserve price. It might also trigger a fresh political battle between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS.
