SC Pulled Up The Petitioner Who Filed SLP on Ongoing Metro Rail Phase -2 Corridor

Hyderabad: The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday pulled up the Act Public Welfare Foundation (APWF), a city-based non-profit organisation, which had filed a special leave petition (SLP) challenging the proposed Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II Corridor-VI (MGBS–Chandrayangutta) project, alleging violations of statutory heritage protection laws . The petitioner has filed a PIL before the Telangana High Court on the same matter, where it is pending.

The petitioner`s contentions in the SLP before the Supreme Court were that the High Court had failed to adequately consider crucial documentary evidence and statutory requirements relating to heritage protection. The petitioner argued that the High Court had overlooked a final RTI reply issued by the Telangana heritage department on May 17, 2025, which allegedly confirmed that no heritage clearance, permission, or guidelines had been granted for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II Corridor-VI project. According to the foundation, this official record directly contradicted the project authorities' claims of compliance with heritage laws.

Counsel for the petitioner argued that the High Court had accepted the Metro Rail authorities' assertions without scrutinising whether mandatory approvals from the heritage conservation committee and other competent authorities had been obtained under the Telangana Heritage (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Maintenance) Act, 2017.

The Supreme Court observed that the PIL itself looks suspicious and it seemed that somebody was backing it in filing the petition. As the apex court was of the view that exemplary costs could be imposed, the petitioner withdrew the SLP.