HYDRAA demolitions: Telangana High Court allows landowners to seek compensation

The High Court has disposed a batch of writ petitions filed by landowners in Patelguda Village in Ameenpur who alleged that officials from the HYDRAA demolished their properties, accusing them of encroaching upon government land in Survey No.12, without proper notice or survey.

By Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: Justice C V Bhaskar Reddy of the Telangana High Court has disposed a batch of writ petitions filed by landowners in Patelguda Village, Ameenpur Mandal, Sangareddy District who alleged that officials from the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) demolished their properties, accusing them of encroaching upon government land in Survey No.12, without proper notice or survey.

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The petitioners claimed ownership of land in Survey No.6, stating that they obtained necessary permissions, including conversion approval (NALA), and constructed residential buildings on the land with the approval of the gram panchayat. The petitioners argued that the demolitions violated the Supreme Court’s order and sought compensation for the damages caused.

In contrast, the government argued that the land in question was part of Survey No.12, a government property, and that the demolitions were carried out after a survey and proper notices. Considering the dispute over land identification and procedure, Justice Bhaskar Reddy directed the Assistant Director of Survey and Land Records, Sangareddy, to conduct a survey of both Survey Nos.6 and 12 after issuing notices to all parties.

If the land was confirmed to be part of Survey No.6, the petitioners were to be allowed to continue construction and may seek compensation. If found to be in Survey No.12, the petitioners may apply for regularization. The court also ordered that status quo be maintained until the survey was completed.