Kin of Hyderabad Nizam's soldiers face housing woes

Hyderabad: Families of soldiers in the erstwhile Nizam’s Army are yet to realise their dream of owning the quarters in which they have been residing for over half a century.

More than 500 families reside in quarters located in five prime areas of the city —Banjara Darwaza (Golconda), Band Lanes (Nampally), Mohammadi Lanes, Masab Lanes (Asifnagar) and AC Guards (Asifnagar) — at concessional rents.

The issue of transferring property rights arises in the election season when politicians and bureaucrats show interest. Once elections are over, the issue is not taken up for the next five years. After the merger of Hyderabad State with the Union, Hyderabad Army units were disbanded and the soldiers of the Nizam’s Army who were not required for defence purposes were temporarily allowed to reside in the quarters.

The Hyderabad administration surveyed these areas and identified 285 occupants as authorised and 452 as unauthorised, bringing the number to 737.

Several public representatives and residents of the areas, who were in possession of these lands along with structures for the last few decades had approached the government for regularisation of their occupation on payment of nominal amount to enable them to have a clear title over the land.

The government decided to consider the cases of all occupants in the above five areas under the provisions of G.O. Ms No. 166, revenue (POT) department, dated February 16, 2008 and transfer the rights of the properties occupied in favour of the occupants and their legal heirs subject to payment of the value as fixed by government in the above G.O.

The Government then issued GO Ms. No. 264 on February 24, 2009 to regulate the occupations of the former military quarters of the Nizams along with the site to the original solders or their kith and kin as per the rate fixed under GO Ms. No. 166.

Unfortunately, GO No. 166 was challenged in the High Court and government has withdrawn it, but the High Court did not suspend the regularisation of these areas. Regularisation at Mohammadi Lanes was held up in GO No. 264 due to objections from military officials.

According to residents of these quarters, different rates were fixed based on the locality and occupied extent. They complained that though the occupants had already paid the fixed amount, the matter is still pending as officials have adopted dilatory tactics. They said that the titles were not transferred to them, but lands of others who had either encroached government land or purchased lands without proper documents were regularised under GO No. 166 and they were enjoying the properties.

Meanwhile, government issued various orders in connection with the regularisation of the occupants and fixation of rates.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had recently discussed the matter with chief secretary S.K. Joshi and informed him about the fixation of new rates for regularisation of occupants. He asked the chief secretary to treat these occupants as a special case and transfer the property on the old rates.

Residents of these quarters were taken aback when they came to know about the enhancements in the regularisation amount.

They asked government not to treat them as illegal occupants or grabbers as their elders served the state and could not get the benefits of retirement while their Army units were disbanded.