UoH students protest Telangana Government’s plan to auction 400 acres of university land
Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad (UoH) Students Union held a large-scale protest on March 13, 2025, at the East Campus Helipad against the Telangana government’s decision to auction 400 acres of university land in Kancha Gachibowli. The protest drew participation from students, university workers, non-teaching staff, professors, and environmental activists, all united in opposition to the auction.
The state government, through the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC), plans to auction the land, which includes ecologically sensitive areas like the famous mushroom rock formation. The land, valued at an estimated Rs. 10,000 crores, is currently part of the University of Hyderabad campus.
Protestors voiced concerns about the impact of the auction on the area’s biodiversity. The land, rich in flora and fauna, is crucial for the campus’s ecology. The Students Union demanded the immediate cancellation of the auction, arguing that it would harm the university’s environment and biodiversity.
Earlier, on March 11, UoH students launched an online petition on Change.org to oppose the auction. The petition, started by Kirti C, has gathered over 10,500 signatures. It highlights the importance of the Kancha Gachibowli land as a “green lung” that significantly contributes to air quality.
In addition to the petition, a group of wildlife enthusiasts formed the ‘Save City Forests Collective’ and urged citizens, environmentalists, and policymakers to join efforts to stop the auction. The collective and petition argue that the land is not just a forest, but a vital natural space that directly impacts the region’s environmental health.
The controversy surrounds the Telangana government’s proposal to auction the 400 acres as part of a resource mobilization plan. The TSIIC has already released a request for proposal (RFP) document to select consultants for the development of a master plan for the land.
