Hyderabad: The Telangana state government is eyeing land belonging to government schools to create parking facilities for a few Hyderabad Metro Rail stations and to set up model markets.
The proposal of taking over lands in government schools was floated by Metro officials, which was approved by the government. Fearing a backlash from teachers’ unions and students’ organisations, the government is taking up the process quietly without issuing any official orders or circulars.
The issue came to light after the government recently took over one acre of land belonging to the government school in Kukatpally and handed it over to Kukatpally Metro station.
In addition, the GHMC had sought government school lands at 20 locations to set up model markets. “GHMC’s proposals have already been rejected. There is pressure to allot lands for stations since Metro Rail operations cannot be taken up unless parking is provided,” said an official of the education department.
Teachers’ unions expressed ire at the government’s move. “We will oppose this strongly. It will be a disturbance for teachers and students if parking is provided on school premises. The government on one hand talks of strengthening government schools to check commercialisation of education, but on the other hand it is taking steps which will weaken these schools further,” said PRTU leader G. Harshvardhan Reddy.
