Telangana HC Orders 2BHK Houses for 71 Evicted Bhimraobada Families at Kollur

Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court has directed the state government to allot permanent 2BHK houses to 71 families evicted from Bhimraobada slum in Nampally, bringing closure to an 18-year legal dispute.

Justice Suddala Chalapathi Rao, while disposing of a writ petition filed in 2008, ordered that the rehabilitation be completed within two months under the supervision of the district collector. The court directed that houses be allotted at the Kollur 2BHK Housing Colony in Sangareddy district through a transparent lottery in the presence of counsel for both sides.

The petition was filed by K. Bharathi and 70 others challenging GO Ms. No. 251 dated March 24, 2008, under which the slum was de-notified and residents were to be relocated under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The petitioners contended that the eviction was arbitrary and carried out without due process.

They stated that their families had lived in the slum for over six decades and had been issued D-form pattas after it was notified as a slum in 1991. They alleged that authorities demolished their houses on January 2, 2007, and shifted them to Afzal Sagar without proper rehabilitation.

During the hearing, the court considered the report of an advocate commissioner appointed to inspect the site, which noted that the slum had been demolished and residents had raised grievances during the visit.

Initially defending its action, the state later informed the court that it was willing to provide permanent housing and offered multiple 2BHK options. The petitioners opted for allotment at Kollur.

Recording the consensus, the court directed the government to allot a separate 2BHK flat with an undivided share of land to each petitioner, preferably in a single block, and to ensure provision of basic amenities such as drinking water, drainage and lifts.

The court permitted legal heirs of deceased petitioners to apply within 30 days for allotment and directed authorities to process such claims without requiring separate litigation. It also allowed similarly placed persons not party to the petition to apply with proof of eligibility.

Observing that the families had been without permanent housing for nearly 17 years, the court directed that the allotted houses should not be alienated for five years. The Hyderabad district collector has been asked to supervise the process and submit a compliance report after completion.

HC sets 3-month deadline for 404 RTI cases

The Telangana High Court has directed the State Information Commission to dispose of 404 pending second appeals and complaints filed by an RTI activist within three months, stressing the need for timely access to information.

Justice Surepalli Nanda issued the direction while disposing of a writ petition filed by Vaddam Shyam, secretary of the Jana Telangana Rights Society. The court also directed the Commission to comply with its earlier order dated September 18, 2025, by issuing fresh notices with complete case-wise details before taking up the matters.

Counsel for the petitioner, Mahesh Mamindla, submitted that 404 second appeals and complaints under the Right to Information Act, 2005, had remained pending due to repeated delays. He also challenged a notice issued by the Commission proposing to list all cases on a single day without specifying case numbers or the concerned public authorities.

The court noted that it had earlier directed the Commission to issue fresh notices with full particulars and hear the matters in batches. However, the petitioner alleged that no such notices were issued despite representations and an RTI application seeking compliance.

Counsel for the Commission informed the court that the cases could not be taken up as the state information commissioner had been on leave for nearly six months and resumed office only on June 27, 2026. The Commission assured that fresh notices would be issued and all pending cases would be disposed of within three months.

Taking note of the assurance, the court directed strict compliance with its earlier order and referred to the Supreme Court judgment in Kishan Chand Jain vs Union of India, which recognised access to Information Commissions as part of the fundamental right to information and access to justice.