Organizations flout land lease norms, TS Tourism dept reclaims land worth Rs 1,000 crore

The Telangana Tourism department has reclaimed land worth about Rs.1,000 crore from two lease holders, who failed to develop projects

Hyderabad: The Telangana Tourism department has reclaimed land worth about Rs.1,000 crore from two lease holders, who failed to develop projects, and cancelled the lease agreements. This year, the department also collected arrears to the tune of Rs.50 crore that were due from different lease holders.

In 2004, 130 acres in survey number 12 under Jawaharnagar limits, Shamirpet was allotted on lease to Prajay Engineers Syndicate for developing the Secunderabad Golf Course Project.

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However, the organization failed to follow the lease conditions and other rules in the last 18 years. It had also not paid the lease rent amount to the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC).

Hence, the lease was cancelled and the land was reclaimed, Tourim Minister V Srinivas Goud said here on Sunday.

Similarly, Bengaluru-based E-City Giant Screen (India) Private Limited was allotted 4600 square yards space next to Yatri Nivas, Secunderabad on lease from TSDTC.

The organization did not pay lease rent to TSDTC during all these years. As the firm violated the rules, the lease was cancelled and the land was reclaimed, the Minister said.

The Minister had issued specific instructions to the TSTDC officials to crack the whip on agencies and firms that had obtained lands from the corporation for developing different projects and failed to pay lease amounts.

Accordingly, the TSTDC served legal notices to the erring firms and agencies and conducted a special drive to collect the pending arrears in the last one year. These initiatives helped the officials to collect nearly Rs.50 crore as arrears that were due to TSTDC.

Complimenting Tourism Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania, TSTDC managing director B Manohar and other officials in reclaiming the valuable lands, the Minister directed the department to initiate stringent measures against agencies and firms that fail to pay lease amount and arrears as per schedule.