The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Confusion over ownership of lands

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 03, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Confusion over ownership of lands

By Dennis Marcus Mathew

HYDERABAD, OCT. 2. Two prime plots of land at commercially important locations in the city. Both are vacant and awaiting new owners - one for nearly a year while the other for four months. The thought may be a juicy carrot for any real estate developer. But then, that is just one side of the story.

Official custodians of the old premises of Gandhi Medical College at Basheerbagh and the Gandhi Hospital at Secunderabad seem to be confused over the entire issue, with no official announcement on the future of both the sites as yet.

`No proposals yet'

A visit to the Directorate of Medical Education and the State Health and Medical Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation at Koti by anyone interested in the plots will show how uncertain the future of the old premises is.

While the Director of Medical Education (DME), K. Bhaskar Rao, says he is not in-charge of the land anymore since the college has already been shifted. It is the Infrastructure Development Corporation that is looking after the sites now, he says. However, officials there kick the ball back, insisting that the DME is still the in-charge.

After several rounds of debates, arguments and rummaging through files, a senior official of the Infrastructure Development Corporation says there are no proposals for both the sites so far. The Corporation is "assessing" the boys and girls hostels of Gandhi Medical College at Bhoiguda after which they will be auctioned. But any decision on the Basheerbagh and Secunderabad premises will depend on the Government, he signs off.

Entertainment centre

However, Tourism Department officials say files for an Urban Entertainment Centre on the Basheerbagh premises are being finalised with the submission of a feasibility report recently. The Principal's room, classified as a heritage site, will be retained.

As for ownership of the premises, a senior official says that the department has been waiting for a "formal take over," adding that there have been no doubts as to whether the site will be handed over to the Tourism Department.

The hospital premises, meanwhile, is still being wooed by suitors, including the Railway and the State Road Transport Corporation.

RTC's interest

The RTC Regional Manager, C. Panduranga Murthy, says that the RTC is still pressing for the premises to build an integrated bus terminal, but there has been no decision so far from the Government's side.

Amidst all the brouhaha, seven acres at Secunderabad and over eight acres at Basheerbagh lie idle, anti-social elements creeping all over them, and the board of utopia already spiked in.

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