Another major demolition drive is planned in the city by Telangana Government after the demolitions on Gurukul Trust Lands last year. On Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s directions, the Revenue Department identified the raze buildings on encroached government lands; the buildings which have not been applied for the recent land regularization scheme by the owners despite the time given for it.

Before bringing in the Building Regularization Scheme (BRS) in April, the TS government wants to bring a sense of fear for the illegal property owners after the Layout Regularization Scheme (LRS) failed due to poor response.

Principal Secretary of the Revenue department, B R Meena said that the LRS applications are in the process of being scrutinized and the identification for the illegal buildings is going on.

Preventive Detention Act, 1986, Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 1982 and provisions of Land Encroachment Act, 1905 are to be invoked by the Government. The Government was expected to earn over Rs 5,000 crore through LRS that was in force from January 1 to February 28, but the scheme gathered only Rs 150 crore. Under the free LRS for the poor category, the government received 3.47 lakh applications up to 125 sq. yard which fetch no revenues.

While 29,000 applications were received in the payment category across the state, the applicants were asked to pay 12.5 percent of the basic registration value at the submission fetching Rs. 150 crore.

Source: THI