Temple lands face encroachment across Telangana districts
HYDERABAD: Nearly a quarter of temple owned land in Telangana has fallen into encroachments, with the Endowments Department estimating that more than 22,554 acres of the total 92,233 acres under its control are illegally occupied.
According to official data, about 69% of the encroached land is concentrated in Mahabubnagar, Rangareddy and Nalgonda districts. The department said encroachments have accumulated in phases over several decades, while efforts to reclaim the land remained limited until recently.
Encroachments concentrated in three districts
District wise figures show that Rangareddy has over 4,004 acres under encroachment, followed by Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda. In total, encroached land across the state accounts for nearly 24.45% of all temple properties.
The Endowments Department oversees 3,957 temples across 11 districts, including Secunderabad. Apart from encroached land, 21,053 acres are under lease, around 18,902 acres are in the possession of various institutions, and 3,178 acres fall within temple premises. The government has acquired 3,193 acres for public purposes, while 7,063 acres are located outside the state. Another 16,287 acres include hill tracts, submerged land and vacant parcels.
Revenue loss hits temple activities
Officials said temple lands were originally donated by rulers and philanthropists centuries ago to fund daily worship, festivals and annadanam. Rising land values in urban, semi-urban and rural areas later attracted encroachers, affecting temple income.
Out of the total encroached land, about 8,812 acres are currently under court litigation, while nearly 18,911 acres face no legal disputes. The loss of revenue has forced several temples to depend on departmental grants and devotees’ donations for daily rituals and festivals.
Law amendment under consideration
Officials said existing legal provisions require the department to approach tribunals and prove ownership before reclaiming land, making the process time-consuming. To enable direct repossession of encroached temple land, the Endowments Department has begun consultations on amending the law. The state government is also considering legal action in disputed cases and the creation of a special task force to protect remaining temple properties.
