Telangana: Wakf land lies fallow

Hyderabad: The proposed move of the AP and TS governments to make their state Wakf Boards self-sufficient in terms of revenue by developing the huge chunks of land by public and private partnership, has failed.

Though both governments have identified more than two dozen properties in prime areas, the Wakf Boards have not been able to invite global tenders to develop the land because of alleged pressure from interested parties, who want to develop the land themselves.

According to officials of both State Wakf Boards, the Wakf Act provides development of Wakf properties by inviting private players to develop the properties and thus fetch revenue for the Board to carry out its obligations.

The TS Wakf Board earns Rs 6 crore a year and the AP Wakf Board Rs 3 crore. The revenue of both boards is used up in paying the salaries of the staff and maintenance of the Boards.

Almost a year ago, the TS government permitted the Wakf Board to develop on a build-operate-transfer model, 11 prime properties.The AP government permitted the AP Board a year ago to develop 26 Wakf properties of about 2,000 acres across the state in BOT mode. 

Mr Abdul Khadeer, chief executive officer of the AP Wakf Board, said that though there are 1,000 acres of Wakf lands located near Devada of Visakhapatnam city, only 500 acres are litigation-free and available for leasing as soon as the government accords permission. However, none of these properties have actually been developed because of the alleged political pressure in both states.

Wakf land for development
Andhra pradesh
 500 acres in Devada, Vizag.
 185 acres in Reddypalem in Guntur district
 200 acres in Vajrakarur, Anantapur district
 10 acres in Gooty, Anantapur
 60 acres in Kurnool district
 40 acres in Krishna district, including land near Vijayawada.

Telangana
 3,500 sq. yd each to the south and north of Haj House at Nampally
 1,500 sq. yd at Tolichowki
 1 acre at Outer Ring Road Junction
 10 acres opp. GMR Aerospace Park
 6,000 sq. yd of Barhane Shah Dargah near Owaisi Hospital
 2,000 sq yd. at Moin Manzil, Abids
 1.2 acres of Masjid Alamgir at Hitex
 1,500 sq. yd. at old Task Force office at Begumpet
 500 sq. yd. opposite Shadan College in Khairatabad
 10 acres at Mamidipally.