Road-Widening works: wakf land encroachers seeking compensation at Nampally

Nampally: The encroachers of Wakf lands have applied for compensation after they found that GHMC is providing payment as part of land acquisition for road-widening project being undertaken at Uppal.

This came to light during a meeting held by TS Wakf Board Chairman Md Saleem along with the GHMC, revenue and police officials who were overseeing the road-widening project from Uppal towards Warangal Highway.

Shocked by the revelation, the Wakf Board officials decided to take up the matter with the GHMC and asked other departments to ensure it be informed first if its lands are being acquired as part of the project. "We asked the GHMC to first bring the matter to the notice of Wakf Board or CEO, who will decide on what should be done and they should not touch the property without proper approval of the Board," said Saleem, while briefing the media.

The Chairman said that the graveyards on the stretch cannot be disturbed as part of the proposed project. He promised to secure the Wakf lands in the area. "Recently we have won a case and reclaimed 300 acres of land. At Pahadishareef, we were able to demolish about 15 illegal structures which were sold out by land mafia and several houses have come up. We shall not spare anyone and encroachers will be swiftly dealt with. We are also taking legal opinion and tackling on the different fronts to protect land from encroachment," he noted.

Saleem said that the case of Qutubshahi mosque in Patancheru (302 acres of land) was being perused and officials of various departments were roped in to find a solution to it. "Criminal cases are being booked wherever land mafia is attempting encroach Wakf lands. Pahadishareef is an instance where cases were booked against the main accused. Even the tenants are being made to pay as per the market value after properly assessing the value of Wakf property. We have already covered several complexes and recovered rentals," he added.