Hyderabad: Telangana Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy has come under scrutiny after four Congress MLAs filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court, seeking protection of approximately 27.18 acres of government land in Khajaguda, near Hyderabad’s Hitec City. The PIL, which alleges encroachment and unauthorized construction on the land, has triggered a political stir within the ruling party.
The High Court on Monday admitted the PIL and issued notices to developers constructing residential towers on the land. The court has directed the respondents to file their counter affidavits within two weeks. The petitioners – MLAs Anirudh Reddy, Yennam Srinivas Reddy, Rajesh Reddy, and Dr. Muralinayak – claimed that despite multiple complaints to Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), no action was taken. They alleged that the land, listed as poramboke in official revenue records, was illegally registered in the names of private individuals by manipulating survey details.
Senior advocate Chikkudu Prabhakar, representing the MLAs, argued that 27.18 acres of government land, previously recorded in Survey No. 117/3/1, was fraudulently re-registered under a new survey number and transferred to private parties. The land is currently under the control of Beverly Hills Owners Welfare Society and Sohini Builders, who are constructing eight high-rise towers with 48 floors each. The petitioners also pointed out environmental violations, including construction within the Full Tank Level (FTL) boundary of the Khajaguda lake and the presence of a ready-mix plant within 150 metres of Oakridge International School.
The MLAs have requested that the Chief Secretary be directed to initiate steps to reclaim the government land, alleging that officials violated regulations by issuing permissions based on improper documentation.
Intra-Party Rift Surfaces Over Land Dispute
The PIL has exposed growing internal rifts within the Congress government. According to political sources, the MLAs’ move to approach the High Court is linked to their strained relationship with Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy. Allegations suggest that the Minister’s influence may have prevented action by authorities despite formal complaints. Some reports also indicate that another cabinet minister, reportedly at odds with Ponguleti, may have supported the MLAs in filing the PIL.
With the High Court now seized of the matter, political observers are closely monitoring the case for its potential impact on the state cabinet dynamics and governance transparency.