Sandhya Convention Hall owner held responsible for encroaching on 20-acre FCI Society land in Gachibowli

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday held Sandhya Sridhar Rao, owner of the Sandhya Convention Hall, accountable for encroachments in the layout of the Fertilisers Corporation of India (FCI) Employees Cooperative Housing Society in Gachibowli.

The court took serious note of the unauthorised occupation of roads and parks within the 20-acre layout, which consists of 162 plots.

Open spaces converted to private plots

The High Court observed that several roads and open spaces were being illegally occupied to expand private plots, warning that such actions cannot be tolerated.

Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) had previously removed these encroachments to maintain the integrity of the layout. The court emphasised that once a layout is sanctioned, it must be implemented as planned.

Allegations of threats and attacks

During the hearing, several affected plot owners presented their grievances, stating that Sandhya Sridhar Rao was constructing structures without respecting plot boundaries, roads and parks.

They alleged that Rao had purchased multiple plots to intimidate other owners and consolidate control over the layout. Owners also highlighted instances of threats and attacks by Rao and her associates.

Support from authorities

The victims recounted that they had approached HYDRAA for intervention when attacks and harassment escalated. The authorities promptly assessed the situation on the ground, confirmed the encroachments and took corrective measures. The court acknowledged HYDRAA’s actions and reiterated that the agency must restore the roads and parks in the layout.

Assurance from court

Justice Vijayasen Reddy assured the plot owners that the High Court would support them and directed HYDRAA to rehabilitate the encroached roads and parks. The court also noted that Rao had previously been fined Rs 10 lakh by the Supreme Court for similar violations.