Facing pressure from various groups, the Telangana government cancelled its plan to auction 400 acres at Kancha Gachibowli

HYDERABAD: Facing mounting pressure from student groups, activists, and green warriors, the Telangana government has called off its earlier decision to auction 400 acres at Kancha Gachibowli. The plan now is more ambitious: convert the full 2,000-acre stretch—including land occupied by the University of Hyderabad (UoH)—into what it claims would be “one of the world’s largest eco parks”.

Telangana govt u-turn after protest

The state’s decision followed the Supreme Court’s suo motu intervention that stalled all ongoing activity, including tree-felling on the site. The central government also stepped in, seeking clarification on the state’s proposal to auction land adjacent to the central university.
Eco park dream: Rs 1,000 crore and a move to ‘Future City’
As per government sources, the revised plan involves relocating UoH to a new “Future City” on Hyderabad’s outskirts. The university will be allotted 100 acres there, along with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore to set up a new campus.

The envisioned eco park, designed to rival some of the world’s largest urban green spaces, will feature tall observatories, walking trails, wildlife zones, butterfly gardens, open-air gyms, and even a turtle park. Authorities plan to use a “micro-ecosystem” model to conserve biodiversity, study soil profiles, and plant diverse tree species.
Global experts, governing council to lead design
Officials said the project would involve consultations with environmental experts from across the globe. “We would like to bring in specialists from around the world,” an official told TOI. “An expert committee will study similar parks worldwide before drafting a master plan.”
To ensure transparency and scientific rigor, the government plans to form a governing council of environmental scientists, academics, student representatives, and conservationists to oversee the park’s development.
‘Land already damaged, relocation not a fair deal’: students
Student protests had earlier highlighted extensive deforestation in the Kancha Gachibowli area, citing recent tree-cutting activity that had already left a visible ecological impact.
Despite the government’s announcement, UoH officials said they had not been officially approached. “If we receive any such offer, it will be placed before the executive council, which will take the decision,” a senior university official said.
Student leaders, meanwhile, remained defiant. UoH Students’ Union President Umesh Ambedkar said: “Why can’t they let things be as they are? We are fighting a battle for our land and university and we will not let it go so easily.”
He also criticised the offer of 100 acres in return for more than 1,600 acres, calling it an unfair deal.