Sky Lounge Project by Meenakshi Constructions in Hitec City is illegal - Govt.
A private residential complex standing tall in Madhapur has been built on government land flouting all norms and will be taken over by the government in the next few days, senior officials of the revenue department said.
The much-advertised "Sky Lounge " has drawn hundreds of potential buyers looking for plush apartments in three specially designed 18-storeyed towers spread over 9 acres of prime land.
But authorities said that survey numbers 50 and 51 of Khanamet village in Madhapur, where the towers have come up, belong to the government and the construction firm has not been able to furnish any document to prove its ownership, the officials said.
On Friday, government staff went and put up a board cautioning that the construction was illegal and the towers have been built up on government land. "We have been investigating this matter since the past four months and it is now proved that the construction took place on government land," said B Rajesham, deputy collector and tehsildar, Serilingampally mandal, Rangareddy district.
Located very close to the Hi-tec City, the Rs 500 crore-valued "Sky Lounge" consists of 432 flats, of which 10% are occupied and more than 50% have been sold off for undisclosed amounts. Each flat was sold for at least Rs 4,500 per square feet and some for more, an official said.
With an array of luxury features, including a clubhouse, swimming pool and landscaped garden, politicians, actors and even senior government officials, are learnt to have booked apartments in these towers.
Authorities said the construction firm, Meenakshi Constructions, failed to prove its ownership of the land. "There have been at least five hearings prior to this order being passed and on all these occasions representatives of Meenakshi Constructions could not prove that it was their land. We have already put up a notice board inside the enclave and we will soon take possession of the property," Rajesham said.
However, he was unsure what would happen to the fate of the occupants, once the government seals the complex.
Private developers taking over government land for constructing flats is not uncommon and government too, whenever it comes across such cases, has demolished illegal structures.
''GHMC officials colluded with builders''
But in most cases, developers, after long-drawn legal wrangles, have won courtroom battles, and have managed to use their influence to get them regularised.
An RTI activist, who was responsible for blowing the lid, called for action against erring officials who had given necessary permission for the construction. "The construction of these buildings started in 2006, but I got to know in 2010 from locals that this project could be illegal." said Challa Shobhan, an activist from Serilingampally. "For the next three years I procured various documents from municipal and revenue departments, which proved that this land belonged to the government and not Meenakshi Constructions. I immediately lodged a complaint with the revenue officials a few months back," he said.
"The GHMC officials have colluded with builders and this is the reason why they gave permission for these high-rise residential structures".
When contacted, K S Rao, chairman of the Meenakshi group said they were in possession of the "original land documents which proves they are the owners".
Source: exclventures.com
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