Telangana Government rolls out drive to regularise encroached lands to fill its coffers

Hyderabad: Eyeing to generate revenue to meet the growing financial needs, the Telangana Government on Friday launched a major drive to register regularised government lands occupied and constructed houses by dwellers.

The government is expecting huge revenue of at least Rs 500 crore to Rs 700 crore in the fourth phase of government land regularisation process. Nearly one lakh applications will be received this time, a top Revenue official said.

The government recently issued a circular for regularisation and registration of the lands and asked people to file applications online.Officials said the land occupants should pay market price for the lands encroached by them and seek clearances from local MRO before going for registration of property in their names.

The highest number of encroachment of government lands has been reported in Ranga Reddy, Medhcal, Vikarabad, Hyderabad and Siddipet districts, where the land value was already high. It was not possible to vacate the occupants and invite fresh bids for sale of encroached government lands as big structures have already been developed in these lands. The only option before the government is to sell lands at market price, the Revenue officials said. The occupants should submit a document of the purchase of land by June 2, 2014 with power bills. Those who submitted the required documents, officials said, the local MRO will issue conveyance deed to register the property.

Source said that the government has already received 64,000 applications for regularisation and registration of properties. It may go up to one lakh. The regularisation of occupied government lands has been taken up in 2014, 2015 and 2017. More than 10 lakh applications had been disposed off. Those who occupied land below 125 yards were being regularised free with registration charges. The drive will be continued till March end.