BJP urges Governor to junk HILTP; cries foul over ‘massive land scam’

The Telangana state BJP delegation, led by BJP State unit President N Ramachander Rao, and other senior leaders met Governor Jishnu Dev Varma on Monday and submitted a memorandum, seeking immediate suspension of the recently issued Government Order that introduces the Hyderabad Industrial Lands Transformation Policy (HILTP). The party alleged that the policy is a cover for a massive land scam worth over Rs 5 lakh crore, benefiting a nexus of politicians and realtors at the expense of the public exchequer.

According to the BJP, the Industries and Commerce Department’s order allows the conversion of 9,292.53 acres of industrial land across 22 locations in and around Hyderabad’s Outer Ring Road into multi-purpose use. The government justified the move by citing two reasons: the closure or unavailability of industries established 50–60 years ago, and the need to relocate polluting units in line with GO Ms No 20 of 2013.

However, BJP leaders argued that the policy is deeply flawed and designed to transfer valuable public land into private hands at throwaway prices. The memorandum highlighted that while the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) recently auctioned one acre of land for Rs 151 crore, the government’s policy permits conversion at only 30–50% of the Sub-Registrar (SR) value.

Industrial land in these areas is estimated at around Rs 65 crore per acre, meaning the state could potentially earn over Rs 6 lakh crore if disposed of at market rates. Instead, the BJP alleged, the government is enabling private players to acquire land at a fraction of its true worth.

The party further criticised the use of SR values instead of Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) benchmark rates, which are reportedly three times higher. This deviation, the BJP claimed, points to a quid pro quo arrangement benefiting select industrialists and realtors.

Environmental and social concerns were also raised. The memorandum questioned the absence of any detailed environmental study to classify industries as polluting, and noted that the policy fails to address the rehabilitation, safety and livelihood of workers currently employed in affected units. Farmers in Ranga Reddy district and Hyderabad’s outskirts, who have long demanded permission for multi-purpose land conversion, continue to be ignored, exposing the selective nature of the policy.

“Land is a finite public resource, and it is the duty of the government to safeguard it for future generations,” the memorandum stated, warning that indiscriminate conversion would accelerate unplanned urban expansion, turn Hyderabad into a concrete jungle and pose severe environmental risks.

The BJP demanded three immediate actions. They included the suspension of the HILTP policy; the Constitution of a Commission headed by a retired High Court judge to examine land conversion policy, assess polluting industries, evaluate socio-economic impacts on workers and determine the actual market value of land parcels; and consideration of farmers’ long-pending demand for multi-purpose conversion of agricultural land.

BJP Telangana BJLP leader A Maheshwar Reddy, MLCs Malka Komariah and C Anji Reddy, along with other state leaders, were among those who met the Governor.