Invoking a Déjà vu of the Kancha Gachibowli lands row, the Telangana government is preparing to auction off another ecologically significant land parcel this time close to Durgam Cheruvu, again through the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC).

Two plots, respectively of 5.25 acres and 5.38 acres in extent have been notified by the TGIIC for auction in Survey No. 83/1 of the Raidurg Panmaktha village, adjacent to the Durgam Cheruvu lake towards the Hitech City, opposite the ITC Kohenur hotel. The notification was published on August 1, 2026, and the auctions are scheduled to be conducted on August 21 and August 28, 2026 respectively for Plot 1 and Plot 2. The base price is fixed at ₹175 crore per acre, which amounts to ₹1,860.25 crore for both the plots.

One look at the photographs published on TGIIC’s website indicating the plots is enough to understand that it is part of the catchment area of Durgam Cheruvu. The lush green landscape slopes towards the lake in unmistakable gradient, flying in the face of the government’s claims about lake protection and ecological conservation.

Rock enthusiasts further vouch that the entire land parcel was once declared as ‘Heritage Precincts’, owing to the existence of huge rock formations which are 250 crore years old. They are on the record as part of the ancient Deccan Traps/Plateau basement complex, and rank among the oldest exposed rock surfaces on Earth, long predating the Himalayas or the birth of dinosaurs.

The Society to Save Rocks, on its website, mentioned the ‘Hillocks around Durgam Cheruvu’ as the first on the list of 23 heritage rock formations, which were protected under the zoning regulations of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, which also protect the Khajaguda heritage rocks.

“I remember that we had represented to the government back in 2009-10 that the entire area be made into a park, so that no future allotments are made. That did not happen, and the land was allocated to DLF. It was later resumed back in exchange of another land parcel,” a member of the Society recalled.

Social media has erupted in sharp criticism of the move by the TGIIC, with various users lambasting the government on all fronts. Some raised ecological concerns while several questioned the government’s wisdom in sanctioning more projects on the road which is already chock-a-block with traffic.

“...Entire area is choked with traffic in peak hours and already multiple buildings U/C [under construction] in the same area. Now auctioning more lands eliminating whatever little open spaces are left...” Sharath Tummala, a user of social media platform X commented.

Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the TGIIC K. Shashanka could not be reached for his version.

Published - August 12, 2026 10:54 pm IST