Uncertainty looms over MANUU as Telangana government moves to resume 50 acres of campus land

Maulana Azad National Urdu University faces uncertainty after the Telangana government issued a notice to resume 50 acres of allegedly unused land at its Manikonda campus, even as the varsity awaits CPWD’s DPR and students protest the move.

Hyderabad: Uncertainty stalks Maulana Azad National Urdu University’s (MANUU), which recently was served a notice by the State government for resumption of unused land in the campus.

According to a senior university official, the varsity was still awaiting the Central Public Works Department’s (CPWD) Hyderabad detailed project report (DPR) on various developmental projects such as academic buildings, residential hostels, and accommodation facilities.

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“The DPR will be shared with the Ministry of Education, Government of India, for sanction and release of grants for taking up construction works. While the university responded with an initial explanation to the notice, two months has been sought for submitting a detailed explanation since the varsity is awaiting DPR from the CPWD Hyderabad. Presently, a status quo is maintained,” the official said.

The state government recently served a show cause notice on the university asking why it should not resume 50 out of 200 acres of unused land in the Manikonda village.

The university official added, “We have seen news reports of Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Azharuddin saying the notice will be revoked. However, we have not recieved any official communication from the government.”

The university was given 200 acres of land in survey numbers 211 and 212 of Manikonda village in Rangareddy district on July 23, 1998. Over the years, the university established several structures in an extent of 150 acres and 50 acres of land have been kept vacant on the ground and unutilised.

A district level monitoring and audit committee that met on August 27, 2024 had recommended obtaining necessary instructions from the government on unutilised vacant government land. It also recommended regular alienation orders with respect to the land allotted to the institution.

Following this, the government via the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration issued an order on April 4, 2025, for resuming the unutilised government land to an extent of 50 acres out of total 200 acres in survey number 211 and 212 of Manikonda village from the MANUU, citing violation of rules.

This evoked strong opposition from the student community that held a series of protests on the university campus, demanding the government to revoke the notice, stating that the varsity will not surrender even an inch of its land.