The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : HC orders status quo on ORR Phase II work

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 14, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

HC orders status quo on ORR Phase II work

Special Correspondent

Order follows plea filed by people of 4 villages in RR district

High Court issues notices to HUDA and ORR Project Director
Plea to shift alignment and pass it through vacant Government lands

HYDERABAD: The High Court has ordered ‘status quo’ in respect of the disputed lands related to Outer Ring Road Phase II in the villages of Tukkuguda, Mankhal, Kongara Ravirala and Kongara Kalan in Maheswaram mandal of Ranga Reddy district following a petition filed by the people of four villages.

The villagers who had not allowed any work, including field surveymoved the High Court objecting to the alignment of Outer Ring Road Phase II, as it would severely affect lands and structures in all the four villages.

The court issued notices to the Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, the HUDA Chairman and the ORR Project Director to give their response by October 8.

Bar on construction

“The status quo to be observed by parties in respect of disputed land, as it is obtaining today would necessarily mean that if the petitioners have so far not been dispossessed, then they shall not be dispossessed. They shall also not raise any construction over the land in question and alienate the same in any manner,” the court order said.

The villagers who had been agitating ever since the alignment was changed for the third time several months ago moved the court as the “ORR project authorities and Government did not respond to our pleas to shift the alignment and save our villages.” .

Alignment changed

The villagers said that the first alignment was changed on the plea that it was affecting several structures in Tukkuguda village alone. The alignment was changed for the second time on the pretext that it was bifurcating the land allotted to the Fab City in Maheswaram mandal. The third alignment was finalised though it affected not one but four villages.

“By ORR authorities’ own admission, the first alignment was changed to save properties in one village. But the third alignment would affect all the four villages,” they maintained.

Dalits, poor farmers and others villagers urged the authorities to shift the alignment two km away by passing it through the large tracts of vacant Government, waste and forest land.

The people in these villages have so far not accepted the special compensation package announced by the Government for the losers of, it is learnt.

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