Telangana orders Vigilance inquiry into IDPL land dispute in Balanagar amid encroachment reports

Hyderabad: Telangana government has ordered an inquiry by the Vigilance and Enforcement Department into the Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited (IDPL) land dispute at Balanagar.

This follows allegations of large-scale encroachment and competing claims over ownership.

The probe will examine the origin, legal status, alienation, and present condition of nearly 891 acres of prime land, whose value is estimated at around Rs 20,000 crore.

The decision comes against the backdrop of mounting political controversy and unresolved legal issues involving both the State and Central governments.

Special vigilance team to begin field inquiry

Following government orders issued on Tuesday, senior Vigilance and Enforcement officials have constituted a special team to carry out the investigation. A review meeting was also held to finalise the roadmap for the probe, and field-level inspections are expected to commence from Thursday.

The inquiry will focus on land parcels located along the Kukatpally–Balanagar main road, one of Hyderabad’s most commercially significant stretches.

IDPL closure triggered land disputes

IDPL, a Central Public Sector Undertaking, was established in Balanagar in 1967 for the manufacture of bulk drugs. To support its operations, the then state government decided to allocate 891 acres of land.

The Revenue Department initially allotted the land to the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC), now TGIIC, which later transferred it to IDPL.

Industrial activity at the unit ceased in 2003. In the years that followed, rapid urbanisation and a real estate boom in the surrounding areas led to growing disputes over the land.

Allegations surfaced that parts of the land were encroached upon, with some economically weaker families erecting huts while real estate operators were accused of attempting illegal occupation.

Centre–state legal complications

Efforts by the state government to reclaim the land encountered obstacles as the Centre considered auctioning the property to clear accumulated dues and settle payments owed to former IDPL employees.

The matter became further complicated when the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) objected to any transactions involving the land, citing IDPL’s status as a sick industrial unit. This resulted in prolonged legal disputes between the Centre and the state, even as allegations of encroachment continued to mount.

Kavitha claims credit for probe

Telangana Jagruthi president Kalvakuntla Kavitha welcomed the government’s decision, claiming the inquiry was the outcome of sustained pressure by her organisation.

In a statement, Kavitha said the issue of alleged encroachments on IDPL and other government lands was brought to her attention during the Jagruti Janam Bata programme in Medchal district. She said she raised the matter publicly and welcomed the government’s move to order a vigilance and revenue inquiry.

“The probe must bring out the truth. False allegations made against my family for political reasons will also be exposed,” she said, urging the government to complete the investigation swiftly and recover land from illegal occupants.

Kukatpally MLA thanks CM, seeks wider inquiry

BRS Kukatpally MLA Madhavaram Krishna Rao thanked Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for ordering the inquiry following a representation he had made.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Krishna Rao said he was willing to face consequences if any allegation against him was proven. He maintained that several poor families had been living on portions of the land for 70 to 80 years and warned against action targeting them.

Stating that IDPL was a Central government entity, he demanded that the inquiry be conducted by a sitting judge or the CBI. He also urged the Chief Minister to examine documents allegedly linked to Survey No. 307 in Gajularamaram, which he claimed pertained to another legislator.

High-value land, high stakes

With prime urban land, competing claims and prolonged legal battles at stake, the vigilance inquiry is expected to play a key role in determining the future course of one of Hyderabad’s most contentious land disputes.