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The Telangana High Court has allowed authorities to resume land acquisition proceedings for a section of Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II after vacating an interim stay imposed earlier in the case. The dispute concerns properties required for the MGBS-Chandrayangutta corridor, where landowners had challenged the acquisition process and alignment. The court said decisions on Metro alignment and land requirements involve technical assessments that fall primarily within the domain of expert authorities. It, however, left questions concerning the legality and procedural compliance of the acquisition open for consideration during the final hearing of the writ petition.
The Telangana High Court has permitted authorities to resume execution of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II project along the disputed stretch after vacating an interim order that had restricted further action in the land acquisition proceedings.
The order was passed by Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar on August 7, 2026, in an interlocutory application filed by the State and other respondents seeking to vacate the interim protection granted earlier in the writ petition. The dispute relates to land required for Corridor-VI between Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) and Chandrayangutta in Hyderabad.
The affected property owners had challenged the acquisition proceedings, particularly the manner in which the Metro alignment and associated road widening would affect properties on different sides of the road. An earlier interim order dated January 10, 2025 had restrained the authorities from passing awards in furtherance of the acquisition proceedings while the court considered the objections raised by the petitioners.
The authorities told the court that 225 properties had been identified for acquisition for the Metro Phase-II project. They also submitted that owners of 52 properties had already consented to acquisition, with consent awards passed and compensation paid for those properties.
HAML had initiated the acquisition requirements for properties affected by the MGBS–Chandrayangutta stretch. The court record states that property surveys were undertaken using drone and LiDAR technology. The acquisition was linked to the approved Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority master plan and the road development plan approved by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
According to the authorities, existing structures along the road are not uniformly aligned, while the Metro alignment does not always coincide with the existing road geometry. This has resulted in varying depths of acquisition on either side of the road. Authorities also stated that efforts had been made to minimise the acquisition of private land and structures while maintaining the technical requirements of the project.
The court noted that determining the appropriate Metro alignment and identifying the land required for such infrastructure involve technical and engineering considerations. It held that these decisions are primarily within the domain of authorities possessing the necessary expertise, limiting the scope for judicial intervention unless the decision is shown to be arbitrary, mala fide or contrary to statutory or constitutional provisions.
The High Court also emphasised the wider public interest involved in completing the Metro corridor. It observed that failure to implement the proposed stretch could affect the continuity and effectiveness of the Metro network and reduce the benefits of an integrated public transportation system.
Consequently, the court allowed the application and vacated the January 10, 2025 interim order. However, it clarified that questions concerning the legality and procedural compliance of the acquisition under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 remain open for determination at the final hearing. The authorities have been permitted to proceed with the Metro project subject to compliance with applicable laws.
Source- Telangana High Court
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