Telangana Film City a Maoist stronghold?

Soon as he assumed power and the state's top post, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao proudly announced that he Film City of international standards would come up in the state.

A week ago, he even conducted an aerial survey at Rachakonda and zeroed in on lands for the Film City which is close to National Highway 65 (Hyderabad to Vijayawada).

But it seems that land demarcated for the Film City has landed in trouble. Officials brought to the notice of the chief minister that more than 9000 acres in Samsthan Narayanpur mandal of Rachakonda region falls under forest.

Any changes, construction activities or utilisation and occupation in these lands requires prior permission from the Union Government. The Central Government is already planning to set up Field Firing Range in 4000 acres of vacant hillocks in Rachakonda and another 5630 acres has been allotted to Bharat Dynamics five years ago. However, amid the opposition from locals, the proposal was kept on hold. The area is also a stronghold of Maoists.