HYDERABAD: In a partial relief to owners whose villas at Patelguda in Ameenpur municipality were razed by Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) two months ago, the Telangana high court has directed the assistant director of survey and land records of Sangareddy district to survey the land situated at survey numbers 6 and 12 of Patelguda.
The high court also ordered status quo at the contentious land till the completion of survey.
As the state has claimed that it demolished only those houses built in plots at survey number 12, which is govt land, the survey will determine the veracity of the state’s claim.
At the same time, the survey will also determine whether the demolished villas were in survey number 6 as claimed by the owners.
“If after survey and localisation of records the demolished structures are found to be part of private land in survey number 6, then the plot owners have the rights to seek compensation from the state. If, on the other hand, the plots turn out to be part of survey number 12, which is a govt land, they can seek regularisation of the plots,” Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy said.
If the land is found to belong to survey number 12, the petitioners may apply for regularisation of the plots according to relevant government circulars and orders.
The authorities are directed to review these applications and issue appropriate orders, taking into account the sale deeds executed in favour of the petitioners, the judge stated in his ruling.
While petitioners’ counsel R Chandrasekhar Reddy questioned the action of the authorities in demolishing structures in Patelguda of Ameenpur which were raised after obtaining all permissions, revenue department’s counsel Muralidhar Reddy contended that the petitioners were trying to take advantage of the proximity of survey number 12 to survey number 6.
“They are encroaching into govt land in survey number 12 and raising structures. The state ordered demolitions only after ascertaining facts at the ground,” the govt pleader said.