Land exchange between Telangana government and Centre as per market value
Hyderabad: Land exchanges between the Defence Ministry and the Telangana Government will be based on valuations as per market rates. Defence authorities will only settle for alternate lands that fulfil this condition.
After submission of the Telangana Government’s proposal to the Defence Ministry, for allotment of its properties in Secunderabad, the Director-General of Defence Estates (DGDE), Delhi, has sought reports from officials based in Telangana.
A Defence official, on condition of anonymity, said, “We will be compiling data pertaining to the valuation, total acreage, suitability of land use, and development in the adjoining areas in the next 10-15 years, for lands that have been shown to us at different locations. The final call will be taken by higher-ups in New Delhi.”
Officials of the Roads and Buildings Department have confirmed that land exchanges will be based on valuations, so that it will be win-win situation for both parties. TS is seeking at least 60 acres of parade grounds, the market rate of which ranges from Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 3,500 crore. According to officials of the Roads and Buildings Department, one acre is valued between Rs 50 crore and Rs 60 crore. If the Centre agrees to hand over the ground for the construction of a new Secretariat, the Telangana Government will have to compensate it by allotting an alternate land.
For similar reasons, the Telangana Government has had to agree to the allotment of 1000 to 1500 acres of land near Vikarabad in lieu of 100 acres that the Army is giving it for the construction of expressways.
The Telangana Government had earlier sought 37 acres of land at Bison Polo Ground, and 23 acres of land at the Gymkhana ground, for the construction of a new Secretariat; but the Defence Ministry had offered 60 acres of military dairy farm land at Bowenpally instead. The Telangana Government felt that the location was too far, and that it would pose an inconvenience to citizens and officials, and so it turned down the proposal. However, it did not give up on its plan to build a new Secretariat in the Secunderabad area. The Chief Minister recently took the issue up with the Prime Minister, and asked for the parade grounds.
Former DGP Pervaram Ramulu said that the construction of a secretariat in Secunderabad would pose no problems in terms of security. “Technology has developed so much that it is not difficult to develop a fool proof security system around the Secretariat. All issues can be taken care of in the designs,” he said.
