SC Panel Inspects Kancha Ganchibowli Site, Meet Students

Hyderabad: The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on Thursday began its inspection of the 400-acre land in Kancha Gachibowli near the University of Hyderabad.

By late morning, roads leading to the UoH East Campus were sealed off. Students gathered near the main gate, some holding placards and others with flash drives and documents in hand, hoping to present their findings to the committee. “We weren’t even given clarity on whether we’d be heard,” said a student from the Joint Action Committee.

The four-member CEC, comprising Siddhant Das, C.P. Goyal, Sunil Limaye and J.R. Bhatt, was in Hyderabad on directions from the Supreme Court, which earlier stayed all activity on the site following allegations of tree-felling without environmental clearance.

After persistent appeals, a six-member delegation of students was granted a brief meeting with the committee at the Dr MCR HRD Institute. They submitted a detailed presentation urging that the land remain under the university’s care. “This campus has protected the area for decades. It is a thriving ecosystem. If it has survived until now, it is because the university preserved it,” said one of the student representatives.

Two university faculty members submitted separate 50-page reports — one documenting recent changes and the other detailing biodiversity and tree density. Students also handed over a pen drive with photos and videos of the site, and urged the committee to allow student participation in future site visits. “We couldn’t even study the actual site due to restrictions. We had to survey adjacent areas in small groups,” another student researcher told Deccan Chronicle.

The Vata Foundation, meanwhile, submitted a formal letter to the CEC, raising concerns over the bulldozing of more than 100 acres and suggesting immediate wildlife safeguards. The group requested installation of an eight-foot fence to prevent animal incursions into residential areas, closure of internal roads used as shortcuts, construction of solar-powered water sources, and temporary shelters for animals left exposed after tree cover loss. They also offered to assist with reforestation from July, ahead of the monsoon.

TSIIC has erected signage at the site claiming government ownership and had earlier prepared the land for auctioning. However, students and conservationists argue that the land qualifies as a “deemed forest” and should be legally protected. The CEC, formed by the apex court to ensure environmental compliance, will submit its report on April 16.

“The silence of the administration and the security lockdown speak volumes,” a student union member said. “This land deserves a fair hearing. We only hope our submission is genuinely considered.” Another student leader argued that after the state government used the excuse of AI-generated images of flora and fauna, “We submitted satellite images to ensure our fight won’t be watered down by other such issues.”

As the committee continues its consultations, the barricades remain in place, and access to the site is banned until the report is filed. For many on campus, the day felt like a missed opportunity — but they remain hopeful that the evidence submitted will tip the balance in their favour.