Thousands of huts on Rs 2k-crore Bhoodan land under scanner in Telangana

Hyderabad: Nearly 2,000 huts have sprung up over 60 acres of prime Bhoodan land on Hyderabad's eastern outskirts in just two-and-a-half years, triggering a looming large-scale eviction drive after court intervention. Officials estimate the land value at around ₹2,000 crore.Following the demolition of 600-700 huts on 31 acres of Bhoodan land in Velugumatla near Khammam earlier this week, the state govt is now preparing to act against the encroachments in Papaiguda hamlet of Kuntloor village near Hayatnagar in Abdullapurmet mandal.
The move comes after Telangana high court directed authorities to clear the land in survey Nos. 215 to 224 in a contempt case. The court on Feb 2 ordered the Ibrahimpatnam revenue divisional officer in Rangareddy district and the commissioner of police, Rachakonda, to remove the encroachments within three weeks of receiving the order — a deadline that is expected to expire in less than a week. Waiting for govt orders"The court directed both me and police commissioner to remove the encroachments on the land in Kuntloor. Some people are also claiming it is a patta land. Since it is a huge extent and nearly 2,000 huts are erected, we are waiting for the govt orders," K Anantha Reddy, RDO of Ibrahimpatnam, told TOI on Wednesday. Officials said an earlier attempt last year to remove the huts with police support was aborted due to fears of law and order problems. They also alleged that some occupants were mobilised with political backing and that small plots of 60-70 square yards were reportedly sold for about ₹1 lakh each. While the revenue department maintains that the entire 60 acres — part of over 100 acres of Bhoodan land — belongs to the govt, several private parties claim ownership as patta land. Records indicate the original inam land in Papaiguda spans about 300 acres across multiple survey numbers, with protected tenancy rights dating back to 1953. Gaddam Babaiah and Gaddam Somaiah were the protected tenants since 1953, and the occupancy rights certificates, pattadar pass books, and govt title deeds were issued by the revenue authorities. N Appa Rao and others claimed to have purchased the land from Somaiah. Cases pending before HCFarmers and purchasers have alleged that fabricated allotment documents were created by members of the erstwhile AP Bhoodan Yagna Board to claim rights over the land; related cases are pending before the high court. "While there are pending writ petitions in the high courts, some people, with the help of political parties, erected huts. Despite the police department writing letters to protect the land from the land grabbers in 2023, the revenue authorities did not protect the land. Just a few months before the assembly elections in 2023, the precious land worth thousands of crores was encroached upon," M Indrasena Reddy, who fought against the encroachments in Kuntloor, said.