UoH Community Decries Campus Land Auction
Environmentalists have also raised concerns about the loss of green cover and biodiversity. “This area is home to significant rock formations and wildlife. Turning it into concrete blocks will destroy its ecological balance,” Sreeja Naidu, an activist, warned.
Hyderabad: A massive outcry has erupted over the government’s decision to auction 400 acres of the University of Hyderabad’s (UoH) land, a move critics say prioritises corporate interests over public education and environmental conservation.
The land, located in Kancha Gachibowli, Serilingampally, is set to be auctioned by the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TSIIC) before March 15. Expected to yield Rs 20,000 crore in the auction, it includes the ecologically significant Mushroom Rock area. The government argues that the sale will generate revenue and aid infrastructure development, but students, faculty and activists are calling it a blatant land grab.
This is not the first time a portion of UoH’s land has been diverted. When the university was established in 1974, it was granted 2,300 acres by the Andhra Pradesh government for academic and research purposes. However, in the early 2000s, 400 acres were reallocated to IMG Academies Bharata for a sports academy at a heavily undervalued price—`50,000 per acre—while its market value exceeded `300 crore. When IMG failed to fulfil its obligations, the Andhra Pradesh government reclaimed the land.
A prolonged legal dispute followed, culminating in a recent Telangana High Court verdict allowing the government to auction the land. Critics argue that this ruling disregards the land’s original purpose and the environmental consequences of its commercialisation.
Students and faculty have strongly condemned the move, accusing the Congress-led Telangana government of betraying public education. “Selling university land for corporate interests is unacceptable. This land belongs to students, researchers and the community,” Mohit, a student leader, told Deccan Chronicle.
Environmentalists have also raised concerns about the loss of green cover and biodiversity. “This area is home to significant rock formations and wildlife. Turning it into concrete blocks will destroy its ecological balance,” Sreeja Naidu, an activist, warned.
The UoH Students’ Union also pointed fingers at the silence of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the Congress’ student wing. They said that while it opposes privatisation at the Centre under the BJP, it remains quiet when its own party facilitates the same in Telangana.
Students and activists demanded immediate cancellation of the auction, urging the government to prioritise public education and environmental preservation over corporate profit. “Silence is not an option when our future is being sold off,” a statement from the Students’ Union read. With the auction date approaching, protests are expected to grow, putting the government under pressure to reconsider its decision.