Hyderabad: The previous Congress government had sanctioned a large number of SEZs on the city outskirts. While some were taken up as joint venture projects, others were allotted only to private players. With the cost of these lands increasing to hundreds of crores of rupees due to realty boom, the private players are refusing to part with lands and exerting pressures on both the Central and state governments to keep lands in their possession even as they were lying vacant for over a decade.
For instance, in the case of Emaar Hills Township Pvt. Ltd, the government approved IT/ITES SEZ spread over 25.98 acres in 2007. However, the letter of approval expired and the company failed to execute the project. Attempts by the government to de-notify it led to a legal dispute. Similarly, Brahmani Infrastech Pvt. Ltd, was allotted IT/ITES SEZ spread over 150 acres in Saroornagar, RR district. The company failed to execute the project. It even failed to repay various duties to government.
Some SEZs approved in government sector and lying non-operational are also yet to be de-notified by the Centre due to which huge extent of land is lying unused. About 275 acres was allotted to APIIC Ltd to set up Hardware SEZ in Maheshwaram. The state government applied for de-notification but the Centre is yet to approve it. Similarly, another 35 acres was allotted to APIIC Ltd to set up IT/ ITES SEZ in Madikonda village in Hanmakonda. It applied for de-notification but the Centre's approval is pending.
