Land pooling: Can KUDA succeed?

Warangal: The Kakatiya Urban Development Authority (KUDA) which targets to acquire land in the vicinity of outer and inner ring roads under the land pooling scheme seems to be in trouble early with the farmers being up in arms against it.

KUDA's plan is to create a land bank for the growing future needs of Greater Warangal, the second largest city in Telangana, on the lines of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). Under the land pooling scheme, the KUDA develops a stretch of land it acquired from the farmers and gives them back 50 per cent of it.

Speaking to The Hans India, KUDA Project Officer E Ajith Reddy said, "It's a win-win situation for both the KUDA and the farmers. The farmers will have to pay nothing to the KUDA for developing their land. Farmers will get a handsome price for their land even though they have to forgo 50 per cent of their land."

When asked about the opposition to the land pooling, Reddy said that the authority would clarify the doubts of the farmers belonging to Arepally, Kothapet and other villages. In fact, several farmers came forward to give their land but for reasons unknown they reversed their decision. Anyways, KUDA was not going to pressurise them, instead we will try to sensitise them by explaining the benefits they get through land pooling.

Allaying the fears of farmers, he said that efforts are on to assure them that land pooled will not be given to the corporate houses.

The land will be auctioned like the O City and Maa City ventures carried by the KUDA. On the other hand, city planning experts like Pulluru Sudhakar, the founder of Forum for Better Warangal, said: "Although HMDA's land pooling was a huge success, it's difficult to predict the same thing in Warangal. Hyderabad has plenty of industries along the ORR, whereas Warangal is yet to witness industrial boom. As a result, farmers have doubts over their returns if they give their land to KUDA." Moreover, the people have doubts over KUDA which failed to fulfill its development promises in O City. The KUDA is yet to ensure infrastructure at its Maa City Township at Madipally, he pointed out.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife that some realtors with vested interests created confusion among the farmers who were actually made up their mind to accept the land pooling plan. As a result, the KUDA which was set to acquire around 300 acres at suburban villages - Arepally, Enumamula, Pydipally and Mogilicherla – ran into trouble with farmers going up in arms against them.