Old City residents lose stay as HC clears Metro Phase-II land acquisition.
The case involves land acquisition for Metro Phase-II, connecting MGBS to Chandrayangutta through Hyderabad’s historic Old City.
- The Telangana High Court allowed HAML to resume land acquisition for the Metro Phase-II corridor from MGBS to Chandrayangutta through the Old City.
- Eight petitioners, mostly shop and property owners, alleged unequal land taking from one side of the road and compensation far below market rates.
- HAML argued the alignment was based on the master plan, verified by drone and satellite surveys, and that equal splitting was technically unviable.
- The court said alignment decisions involve technical expertise beyond judicial second-guessing and that blocking the project would harm public interest.
- More than 300 of 357 affected owners have already accepted compensation awards, but the final hearing will still examine legality and procedural compliance.
In a significant interim order, the Telangana High Court has allowed the Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML) to resume land acquisition for the Metro Phase-II corridor that cuts through Hyderabad’s historic Old City, connecting MGBS to Chandrayangutta. Justice NV Shravan Kumar passed the order while hearing a petition filed by the Telangana government seeking to lift an earlier stay, clarifying that questions about the legality and procedural compliance of the acquisition would be examined at the final hearing, but that the process could proceed in the meantime, strictly in accordance with law.
The dispute at the heart of the case
The case centres on eight petitioners, mostly shop and property owners in the Old City, who approached the court arguing that the acquisition was being carried out in a way that was unfair to them. They alleged that the government was acquiring significantly more land from the left side of the road than the right, rather than taking equally from both sides as the road was widened from 60 feet to 100 feet.
HAML’s defence and technical arguments
HAML countered that the alignment had been drawn up based on the officially approved city master plan and verified through drone and satellite surveys. It argued that uneven construction on both sides of the road made a perfectly equal split from both sides impossible, as it would result in a zig-zag alignment that would be technically unviable for a metro corridor. The agency added that compensation had been fixed through negotiations and that more than 300 of the 357 affected property owners had already accepted the awards and handed over possession of their properties.
Court’s reasoning: public interest and technical expertise
It also held that blocking the project would harm the larger public interest by delaying a significant transport infrastructure link for the city. The order effectively clears the way for HAML to continue acquiring land and preparing the corridor while the broader legal questions are still being debated.
A project with deep local impact
The Metro Phase-II corridor is one of the most sensitive infrastructure projects in Hyderabad, not only because it passes through a densely populated area but also because it cuts through a part of the city rich in heritage, religious structures and centuries-old markets. Over the past year, HAML has reported that out of around 1,100 identified properties, awards have been passed for more than 750 structures, with compensation disbursed to hundreds of owners. Officials have repeatedly said that the majority of owners have come forward willingly, though a small number continue to contest the process in court.
What happens next
While the acquisition can now resume, the court has made it clear that the final hearing will still examine whether the process followed all legal requirements, whether objections were properly considered, and whether the compensation framework was fair. For now, the balance has tilted in favour of keeping the project moving, with the judge signalling that any irregularities can be addressed later without halting work that serves a larger public purpose.