Telangana Leases 1.04 Acres of Urdu Academy Land in Serilingampally to Private Firm

The Telangana Minorities Welfare Department has approved the lease of 1.04 acres of Urdu Academy land in Serilingampally to a private construction company for a period of 30 years without initiating a public tender process. The decision, detailed in Government Order Ms. No. 20 issued on July 16, has triggered significant concerns and objections among members of the Muslim community.

The land parcel, comprising 5,220 square yards, is situated in Survey No. 29 of Dargah Hussain Shah Wali village within Serilingampally. Under the terms of the agreement, the private company, N.N. Infra & Constructions, will build an Urdu Ghar-cum-Shadikhana alongside a commercial complex. The project is being executed on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis, with the private developer bearing all costs associated with the construction.

Although the government order specifies that the property cannot be alienated, sold, or mortgaged, and that ultimate ownership rights will remain with the Urdu Academy, community members expressed alarm over the lack of transparency. The official order has not been placed in the public domain.

Under traditional procedures, the department systematically invited tenders for the construction of Urdu Ghars and Shadikhanas across the region. District Collectors were responsible for constituting managing committees to oversee construction. These committees included the local Tahsildar as member-convener, three or four community elders, and a representative from the Urdu Academy Board.

Former Wakf Board member Wahed Ahmed stated that this instance marks the first time in the history of the Urdu Academy that such a large parcel of prime land has been leased to a private company without a tender process. Ahmed raised questions regarding why this specific company was selected and whether mandatory procedures were followed, confirming that a representation will be submitted to the government seeking the cancellation of the order.

Community members also pointed out that the Minorities Welfare Department allocated Rs 12 crore in the current Budget for the preservation and promotion of Urdu language and culture, as well as for constructing Shadikhanas. Critics questioned why the department opted to lease prime public land to a private developer despite having budgeted funds available for such welfare facilities.