Hyderabad: A chunk of government land measuring 435 acres, located in a prime area of Shamirpet in Medchal-Malkajgiri district, is likely to be transferred to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to facilitate the construction of two elevated corridors in Secunderabad Cantonment.
This land was previously utilised by the Indian Army for field firing and artillery exercises which were discontinued after residential settlements developed in the surrounding vicinity.
For the proposed elevated corridors, Paradise Junction to ORR Junction (near Shamirpet) and Parade Ground to Hakimpet Air Force Station in Secunderabad Cantonment, the State government requires 95 acres of Defence land, apart from land belonging to the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) and public and private properties.
After a detailed survey carried out on these two stretches, it was observed 90 acres of Defence land to be acquired by the HMDA following which the Ministry of Defence made the ‘equal value of the land’ (EVL) a mandate in their working permission orders.
After a joint inspection carried out by the HMDA, Revenue, and Local Military Authority (LMA), the State government, in principle, agreed to exchange land with the Defence Ministry in lieu of transferring the Defence land which is now in its final stage. Once the Defence authorities transfer their land to the HMDA, the land at Shamirpet is expected to be exchanged.
“This decision to transfer the government land marks a significant step in the ongoing negotiations. This land swap deal is part of ongoing efforts to resolve land-related issues between the state government and Defence authorities,” HMDA sources told ‘Telangana Today’.
Except for paperwork, the remaining process to transfer 435 acres of land to the Defence authorities was ready, said the sources.