Nagarjuna’s N Convention center: From controversial land deal to demolition crisis
Hyderabad: The construction of the N Convention Centre in Hyderabad has been a contentious issue for years, sparking debates over urban development, environmental protection, and property rights.The project’s development was fraught with controversy due to its location on land that had been previously declared surplus under the Urban Land Ceiling Act.
The saga began with the Gurukul Ghatkesar Trust’s sale of land to the Sri Swami Ayyappa Cooperative Housing Society Limited. The society subsequently developed the land, and the N Convention Centre was constructed. Hyderabad Mail deep dives into the allegations through an independent verification of various documents, offering a comprehensive analysis and uncovering key insights that shed light on the situation.
The Gurukul Ghatkesar Trust had lands of nearly 649 acres at Izzatnagar and Khanamet, Hyderabad District. As it is against the Urban Land Ceiling Act, B. Kishanlal who was the Managing Trustee applied for exemption and the same was reportedly granted by the then Government in the United Andhra Pradesh.
Sale and Development
Subsequently, the Managing Trustee sold over 140 acres of land in Survey Nos.11/8 to 11/18 at Khanamet Village, Ranga Reddy District to Sri Swami Ayyappa Cooperative Housing Society Limited in 1982.
The society obtained a layout from the Kondapur Gram Panchayat. The layout consisted of 1215 plots which were allotted to its members under various registered sale deeds during the period 1982- 83. In the said plots, nearly 500 houses were constructed and some temporary structures were also raised in other plots. However Kondapur Gram panchayat which turned to Serilingampalli Municipality did not regularize the constructions. The then Andhra pradesh government declared the sale transactions effected by the Trust as null and void in 2000.
Legal battles
The Society members applied to regularize the unauthorized constructions under the Andhra Pradesh Regulation and Penalization of Unauthorizedly constructed buildings and buildings constructed in deviation of the Sanctioned Plan Rules 2007 (BPS Rules). Their applications were rejected because the land was considered surplus land under the Urban Land Ceiling Act.
The Society members challenged the rejection of their applications in court in 2008. The court in 2012 directed the government to reconsider the applications of the Society members, provided the houses were built between 1985 and 2007. The government must follow the BPS Rules and relevant law when reconsidering the applications. The government cannot interfere with the constructions until a decision is made on the applications, said the court in 2014.
As the matter stood like this, the Lake Protection Committee which was formed to protect the lakes started demarcation of lakes in the GHMC limits for information gathering related to internal department purposes. The committee found that the N convection which was built on the above said land is encroaching on the Thammidi Kunta Lake.
In 2014 Nagarjuna Akkineni has approached the High Court seeking an order to prevent authorities from demarcating their property located at No. 292/1, Sy No. 11/2, 11/3 in Khanamet village, Serilingampally Mandal, Ranga Reddy District, as part of marking the Full Tank Level (FTL) and buffer zone of the Thammidikunta tank. The petitioner argues that the authorities’ actions are unconstitutional and requests the court to direct the respondents to conduct a proper inquiry, including providing adequate notice and a fair hearing. Further the petitioner requested the court to stop any coercive actions, such as demolition, until a final decision is made.
Lake Protection Committee finding
GHMC conducted a survey of Thammidi Kunta lake in Madhapur. During the survey the officials found that N Convention Centre, jointly owned by Actor Akkineni Nagarjuna and Nalla Preetham Reddy, has encroached 3.12 acres of Thammidi Kunta. In 2014, a team of Irrigation and Revenue officials marked the full tank level (FTL) and buffer zone at Thammidi Kunta. According to the Executive Engineer (north tank division) the FTL area of the pond is 29.24 acres and has a buffer zone of 30 meters. In the survey, it was found that 3.12 acres – 1.12 acre around the FTL and two acres of buffer zone – was encroached by the N Convention Centre located in the center of Hi-Tech city in Hyderabad.
The government in counter to the petition contended that No Full Tank Level (FTL) has been fixed yet. The demarcation was for information gathering related to the Lake Protection Committee and internal departmental purposes. Further assured that no action will be taken against the petitioners without a proper notice as per law before any action like FTL fixation.
On Saturday in a major crackdown, Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection (HYDRAA) took up demolition at N- Convention owned by actor Nagarjuna Akkineni.
