Hyderabad: Telangana Revenue and Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy announced that the government will consider selling small parcels of land, measuring less than 100 square yards, located adjacent to previously allotted Housing Board houses.
The decision was discussed during a review meeting with Housing Board officials held at the Secretariat on Monday, December 15.
During the meeting, the minister reviewed issues related to Housing Board lands, including lease renewals, agreements, pending court cases, and rental collections. Ponguleti directed officials to give residents who had not completed housing plot registrations in the past another opportunity to do so.
“Those who wish to purchase adjacent open land of up to 100 square yards can register both plots together,” he said.
Housing Board leased its lands since the Nizam era: Minister
The minister noted that since the Nizam era, the Housing Board had leased its lands to around 115 institutions, including educational institutions, temples, residential associations, and commercial complexes.
Ponguleti instructed officials to send notices to organisations that have not renewed their lease agreements and to assist them in regularising their properties.
Housing Board owns 301 commercial complexes across Telangana
Officials informed the minister that the Housing Board currently owns 301 commercial complexes across the state of Telangana. In 2007, the then government gave tenants the opportunity to purchase their shops, but only 14 did so, leaving 287 units still under lease and 62 vacant.
As per Board norms, shop owners are required to increase rent by 10 percent each year and renew agreements accordingly. However, implementation has been weak, resulting in significant arrears owed to the Board, official sources said.
Ponguleti asks officials to auction commerical spaces not viable for rental management
Responding to this, Ponguleti directed officials to auction commercial spaces that are not viable for rental management. He also suggested appointing special legal counsel to effectively represent the Board’s interests in court cases.
The minister instructed officials to prepare a comprehensive report covering details of unregistered plots, applications for adjoining 100-square-yard extensions, current market rates, and sub-registrar valuation data.
“The final decision on these matters will be taken after discussion in the Cabinet,” Ponguleti added.
Housing Board managing director VP Goutham, chief engineer Venkataramana Reddy, and other officials attended the meeting.
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