HYDERABAD: After the Krishna waters issue, the Telangana Legislative Assembly is set to witness yet another heated debate — this time over industrial land use in Hyderabad.
The House will take up a short discussion on the Hyderabad Industrial Lands Transformation Policy (HILTP) on Monday. The policy, after it was rolled out, triggered sharp political sparring.
The policy, introduced by the Congress government, aimed to convert industrial land within and around the Outer Ring Road (ORR) into Multi-Use Zones, on payment of a conversion fee pegged at 30 per cent of the prevailing SRO rate.
However, what began as an urban planning initiative quickly snowballed into a political flashpoint, with the ruling Congress and opposition BRS and BJP trading barbs.
According to orders issued by the Industries and Commerce Department, a total of 9,292.53 acres of industrial land is available within the ORR. Of this, 4,740.10 acres fall under plotted industrial layouts. The Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) has been designated as the nodal agency for implementing the policy.
Soon after its announcement, BRS leaders alleged that the government was “selling off Hyderabad” and branded the policy a `5 lakh crore scam. The Congress hit back strongly, dismissing the charges as baseless. Party leaders countered that a similar policy had been implemented during the previous BRS regime, accusing it of selectively converting industrial lands for other uses in exchange for bribes and commissions.
Meanwhile, sources in the government admitted that the response to the policy has been tepid so far. Industrial landowners, they said, have shown little enthusiasm for conversion under the current framework. In a bid to address concerns and revive interest, the government is expected to hold consultations with stakeholders shortly.