Telangana high court directs HYDRAA not to fence land without approvals

HYDERABAD: Reiterating the primacy of due process, the Telangana High Court has pulled up HYDRAA over the fencing of reclaimed land. The court made it clear that the mere inclusion of a property in the gov's prohibited list does not, in itself, justify such unilateral action and directed the HYDRAA commissioner to refrain from fencing land henceforth.It expressed concern over reports indicating that lands were being fenced without prior approvals or compliance with prescribed norms.In a move aimed at strengthening administrative accountability, the court directed that the Rangareddy district collector be impleaded as a necessary party in the ongoing proceedings.Justice NV Shravan Kumar issued these directions on April 10 while hearing a petition challenging the fencing of a 1.26-acre parcel of land in Khanamet village, Serilingampally.The petitioner, a businesswoman, contended that HYDRAA had fenced her property solely on the basis of its inclusion in the prohibited list and had installed a signboard to that effect. Describing the action as unlawful, she sought judicial intervention to restrain the agency from dispossessing her and to order the removal of the fence and signage.Upon reviewing the submissions and the material placed on record, the court held that fencing cannot be justified merely because a property appears in a prohibited list. It further directed that, even in such instances, HYDRAA must obtain formal clarification from the jurisdictional district collector before initiating any action.Additionally, the court instructed the municipal administration and urban development department to verify the legal status of the land and ascertain whether any related cases are pending before granting approval for action by HYDRAA.To ensure prompt compliance, the court ordered that its directions be formally communicated to the HYDRAA commissioner through the standing counsel and the court registry.The matter has been listed for further hearing on April 13.