Waqf Property Registrations Lag on Umeed Portal
The Board has only 50 days left to complete uploading the records
HYDERABAD: Waqf properties registration on the Umeed portal is moving at a snail’s pace as the Telangana Waqf Board has deputed its staff to Urs ceremonies organised in dargahs.
According to the Board’s estimates, there are 63,070 Waqf properties in Telangana. Registration has been initiated for 51,619, leaving 11,451 properties unregistered, including major masjids and ashurkhanas.
“As per the Central Waqf Act, institutions such as dargahs should not be under direct management of the Board for more than five years. Committees have to be constituted or mutawallis appointed for managing the institutions. However, the Board staff continue to be deputed for annual Urs, hampering properties’ registration on the Umeed portal,” said Telangana Waqf Board elected member Abul Fateh Syed Bandagi Badesha Quadri.
Poor awareness among custodians has also been attributed to the slow registrations. “There is a poor response from custodians due to lack of awareness of the Umeed portal,” said Dr Ahsan Bin Mohammed al-Hamoomi, Khateeb of Shahi Masjid in Public Gardens, who has been supporting custodians by providing a help desk.
He urged the Waqf Board to hold a mandal-wise survey to ascertain properties that have not yet been registered and initiate steps to upload the same.
With Ramzan fast approaching, staff observing fasts and prayers during the holy month, and the March 12 deadline nearing, concerns have been raised by religious heads and activists over whether the Waqf Board will be able to complete the pending registration.
Telangana’s Waqf property approval rate has been much lower than Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. “The Board has only 50 days left to complete uploading the records,” said Waqf activist Md. Habeebuddin, questioning whether the deadline could realistically be met.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a Waqf Board official said that before the deadline extension, staff worked late hours to expedite the process. “As technical issues are now reduced, the process is expected to speed up after the Urs ceremonies, and employees will continue to work even during Ramzan to complete the uploads,” the official added.