Lower than an hour’s drive from Hyderabad and about half an hour away from the town’s airport, a model new metropolis is within the works amidst fertile agricultural lands and current habitations.
The Telangana authorities hopes that the brand new metropolis will herald a brand new section of growth involving large-scale infrastructure initiatives, industrial parks, and concrete enlargement. Nevertheless, many farmers, farm labourers, and environmental activists are against the venture.
What complicates issues for the Congress authorities is that when the occasion was within the opposition, it had opposed the very developmental actions that it’s now trying to pursue in the identical area, initiatives as soon as championed by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
First introduced as Fourth Metropolis, after which renamed Future Metropolis, the proposed new metropolis was rechristened Bharat Future Metropolis by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy throughout Telangana Formation Day celebrations on June 2. The venture, which has been within the works for almost a yr, is Reddy’s brainchild. Over the previous yr, Reddy and different leaders, akin to Minister Duddila Sridhar Babu, have mentioned what Future Metropolis would comprise: an AI hub, a well being metropolis, a world-class stadium, a sports activities hub, a talent college, and extra.
In April 2025, Reddy introduced that the State had bagged a Rs,1,000 crore funding from Marubeni, a Japanese conglomerate, to create Telangana’s first next-generation industrial park at Future Metropolis. In Might, Sridhar Babu introduced {that a} 1,000 acre “digital metropolis” can be one of many core initiatives of the brand new metropolis.
The federal government is promising jobs, growth, and wealth creation. Nevertheless, activists and environmental consultants have criticised the federal government, saying that it has given no thought to the residents of those villages whereas conceiving this mega metropolis venture. An official grasp plan for the proposed Future Metropolis has not but been accomplished, and there’s no publicly obtainable feasibility research or influence evaluation of it both.
Future Metropolis includes 56 villages from 7 mandals. The villages fall beneath three Meeting constituencies (Ibrahimpatnam, Maheshwaram, and Kalwakurthy). The proposed metropolis, to be constructed over an expanse of 765 sq. kilometres, or almost 2,00,000 acres, is beneath the jurisdiction of the Future Metropolis Growth Authority (FCDA).
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The proposed metropolis would have the Outer Ring Highway (a multi-lane highway that encircles Hyderabad) to its north, the proposed Regional Ring Highway (a multi-lane highway that can encircle at the least eight districts) to its south, the Nagarjuna Sagar State Freeway to its east, and the Srisailam Nationwide Freeway to its west. The federal government is assured that it’s a strategic location that can facilitate each city and industrial development.
Environmental influence
Whereas the realm beneath the FCDA has peri-urban pockets owing to its proximity to Hyderabad, it’s in any other case an enormous expanse of agricultural fields interspersed with forest areas. The farmers on this a part of the State rely totally on bore wells and rain-fed irrigation, as quite a few lakes and small ponds replenish through the monsoon.
5 reserve forest blocks (together with Kurmidda, Medipally, and Mucherla) are a part of Future Metropolis. They’re unfold throughout at the least 15,000 acres, in accordance with officers. There are additionally stretches of timber and grassland. Adjoining to the proposed metropolis is the Kongara Kalan forest stretch. This correspondent stumbled upon a number of wild animals whereas visiting the realm in Might.
Paradoxically, the wealthy, intertwined ecosystem—now beneath risk—is being marketed as a “salient function” of Future Metropolis, with actual property builders abuzz on the prospect of utilizing it as a USP to promote premium residential layouts providing scenic views, contemporary air, and water.
Nevertheless, for almost a decade, residents of some villages (now beneath the FCDA) have been waging a battle towards the State authorities to protect the identical contemporary air, water, and land. For them, the Future Metropolis promise is a narrative of betrayal.
The potential that the present authorities sees on this area is confined to a a lot smaller extent than the entire jurisdiction of the FCDA. The BRS had acquired land for a mega Pharma Metropolis venture (introduced instantly after it got here to energy in 2014) that was opposed by a bit of farmers. Throughout its two phrases, the BRS acquired land within the three mandals of Yacharam, Kandukur, and Kadthal. Out of over 19,000 acres deemed needed for Pharma Metropolis, the BRS managed to amass almost 14,000 acres. This expanse is being thought of the core Future Metropolis space now.
Voices of criticism
Ok. Babu Rao, environmentalist and retired scientist, stated: “Just because they’ve a land financial institution of 14,000 acres that the BRS acquired, they [the Congress government] have conceived a metropolis to retain it.” That is additionally the favored sentiment about Future Metropolis amongst those that oppose it.
An advocate practising within the Telangana Excessive Court docket and showing in a majority of the Pharma Metropolis instances stated: “Of the entire land, about 10,000 acres has been paid for by the BRS authorities, and folks acquired the cash. There are two different classes of farmers. In over 1,500 acres, farmers didn’t strategy the courtroom and didn’t take the cash. They’ve been a bit susceptible. In over 2,000 acres, individuals approached the courtroom and acquired keep orders. In Medipally and Kurmidda, the Excessive Court docket had quashed the land acquisition awards and declaration [in at least 250 acres] in August 2023.”
The Excessive Court docket stayed the takeover of your complete land in at the least three villages (Kurmidda, Thatiparti, and Medipally) following a petition filed by landless labourers who demanded to be pretty compensated as per the Proper to Truthful Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
BRS land acquisition
“The BRS subverted current legal guidelines and located workarounds to the statutory necessities. A considerable portion of it was assigned land belonging to marginalised castes, and the federal government coerced it away from them,” stated Saraswati Kavula, an activist who has been working as a part of the coalition of farmers towards Pharma Metropolis because the starting. Kavula is a documentary filmmaker and farmer residing within the Future Metropolis area.
When farmers continued to withstand land acquisition, the earlier BRS authorities eliminated their names from on-line information and halted Rythu Bandhu advantages and crop loans.
Sai Reddy, a farmer from Nanak Nagar, together with his land passbook. When he refused to half together with his land through the earlier BRS regime, his advantages had been blocked. Now, beneath the Congress authorities, Sai Reddy continues his combat.
| Photograph Credit score:
AYESHA MINHAZ
Mutyala Sai Reddy is a 55-year-old farmer from Nanak Nagar. Through the BRS regime, when he refused to promote his land, it was listed within the prohibited part of the land portal. For years, Sai Reddy’s household was unable to entry farm loans, Rythu Bandhu advantages (which they’d acquired as soon as earlier than these had been terminated), and different advantages. Nevertheless, he refused to surrender his land. Now, beneath the Congress authorities, Sai Reddy continues his combat.
When BRS didn’t again down from its land acquisition plans, a number of Congress leaders had, in reality, backed the farmers of this area. These leaders, who are actually Ministers, had promised the farmers that in the event that they got here to energy they’d permit the farmers to retain any cash they’d accepted from the federal government and likewise their land. In its manifesto for the 2023 Meeting election, the Congress promised that the Pharma Metropolis Coverage can be reviewed in accordance with the aspirations of farmers, including that the venture would both be scrapped or relocated elsewhere. Nevertheless, after coming to energy, the Congress has introduced the Future Metropolis venture with out holding any consultative conferences with the farmers.
Suppression of farmers
Away from the highlight, the State suppression of dissenters akin to Sai Reddy continues, allege activists. In January, when a coalition of farmers towards Pharma Metropolis approached the police for permission for a survey, foot march, and consciousness marketing campaign in Nanak Nagar (one of many Pharma Metropolis villages), they had been denied permission. Sai Reddy and others appealed to the Excessive Court docket, which famous that the denial was in violation of Articles 19 and 21 of the Structure and directed the authorities to grant permission.
“The identical order [quashing awards] that some Congress leaders had celebrated in August 2023 was challenged by the Congress authorities after coming to energy,” the advocate stated. The activists stated that the Congress authorities, with a watch on electoral advantages, waited till the Lok Sabha election outcomes earlier than asserting the Future Metropolis venture.
In September 2024, Navin Mittal, Principal Secretary to the federal government (Land Income), filed a counter-affidavit within the Excessive Court docket in a land acquisition–associated petition, categorically stating that there had been no orders to scrap the Pharma Metropolis venture.
“We walked for the Congress leaders, we campaigned for them forward of elections. We really trusted them,” stated Narayana Das, a 70-year-old farmer from Thatiparti. It’s this “betrayal” that has stung the farmers probably the most.
In April and early Might this yr, Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Company (TGIIC) started fencing the land that the federal government had acquired, sparking a stir within the villages. The farmers who acquired a keep order through the BRS time period fought towards the fencing, claiming that the keep utilized to your complete land acquisition course of. They filed contempt of courtroom petitions. The courtroom has served notices to a number of departments to point out trigger. The listening to is anticipated to proceed in June. Frontline reached out to officers at TGIIC however has but to obtain a response.
Narayana Das (sporting a crimson scarf) and others are involved about being a part of the Future Metropolis. They can not think about a future the place they’re now not farmers.
| Photograph Credit score:
AYESHA MINHAZ
The farmers and labourers who’re against the venture concern that the infrastructural initiatives and industrial parks will depart behind a path of destruction of their villages, rendering them uninhabitable. Nevertheless, opposition to Pharma Metropolis and now Future Metropolis isn’t just rooted in considerations relating to air pollution and emissions, it additionally considerations fears of erasure of farmland.
“Cities akin to Hyderabad depend on the villages round it. Each grain of meals the town dwellers eat comes from villages. The milk comes from the villages. The greens and fruits are from close by villages. Why would the federal government need to destroy such fertile lands which might develop two crops a yr?” Saraswati requested.
One of many considerations of the individuals on this area is that their current habitations could turn into islands of underdevelopment amidst new high-rise residential layouts, industries, or workplaces. The lands that the federal government owns are adjoining to current homes and colonies, and limiting the fallout of recent growth can be difficult.
“The federal government officers have fenced all land adjoining to my area. They even fenced a water supply within the close by forest stretch. What’s the assure that they gained’t block the entry to my area if I maintain refusing to half with my land?” Narayana Das requested. The officers have assured the farmers that entry to their farms won’t be blocked and that new radial roads shall be constructed to the villages. However farmers need greater than that. An intensive train of gathering opinions, by way of public hearings, for instance, might assist the federal government perceive what the individuals right here really need. Some farmers need at the least a consultative assembly or public listening to to be held, however some others don’t assume it’s going to do any good.
Govt model
Officers maintained that solely a small part of persons are protesting and attempting to trigger a stir. An official stated that some villages not listed as a part of Future Metropolis want to be added to the jurisdiction. This declare has some foundation. As an example, when villagers of Mondi Gowrelli requested that they be added to the Future Metropolis plan, income officers reportedly issued a land acquisition notification (senior officers have neither confirmed nor denied this). Following this, the villagers protested towards the transfer. They need the town however don’t need to half with their land.
Even in villages which were listed as Future Metropolis however the place no land has been acquired but, individuals Frontline spoke to appeared enthused in regards to the concept of a metropolis. Nevertheless, they don’t need to quit their land.
Whereas the federal government has been promising job creation and new alternatives, children amongst these combating towards Future Metropolis aren’t focused on working as industrial labour or in doing clerical jobs.
What the youth assume
In Kurmidda, as an example, a younger farmer who owns some 20 cows instructed Frontline that he earns round Rs.1 lakh a month from dairy farming. The village is thought for its substantial livestock and dairy manufacturing.
Frontline additionally spoke to a number of different younger graduates who had returned to their villages after commencement to proceed working with their households. Industrial jobs don’t seem to be a worthwhile various for such individuals who have substantial farm-based incomes.
Probably the most deprived are the landless labourers within the villages the place 14,000 acres had been acquired. One doesn’t want to invest on how land-use modifications will influence them as Pharma Metropolis and the acquisition of land have already led to discount in farm work, prompting a number of individuals to hunt wage labour in building and small industries.
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Chandramma is a 55-year-old widow from Kurmidda village. Her household parted with some land through the early phases of land acquisition in 2016. From early on, she has labored each on her farm and as a farm labourer. She stated: “Individuals right here have sympathy for me. No person in different villages would look after me the way in which individuals right here do. I look older than I’m. Why will anybody rent me for work?”
Residents are additionally anxious that the FCDA will dilute the autonomy of villages. Though officers insist that the 70-plus gram panchayats will live on, a mixture of misinformation and lack of transparency has led to a number of doomsday narratives taking form within the public creativeness.
Older farmers, akin to Das, word that the equations within the villages have modified, and that the sense of neighborhood has been misplaced over time. Native political affiliations, feuds, and actual property pursuits have divided the mandate for Future Metropolis throughout the Pharma Metropolis villages. In some villages, the allegiance of activists who resisted the transfer through the BRS phrases has all the time been with Congress, and therefore, they’re both mum or backing the Future Metropolis now.
Amongst opposition events, the BRS is left with no face to hitch farmers within the combat over the land it as soon as acquired.
A number of civil society organisations have demanded the cancellation of the Future Metropolis venture, however there was little mobilisation of public help. Locals hope that as introduced initiatives start materialising, the motion could collect steam.
In the meantime, a number of questions linger. Babu Rao stated: “The federal government ought to inform individuals of the aim of Future Metropolis, why it’s conceived, what’s the motion plan for it, how a lot time have they taken to crystallise the plan, how they’ve determined [about the selected villages], what have they studied. Do we actually want a Future Metropolis? What’s it purported to do? How does it elevate the lives of the individuals of Telangana? There’s nothing on the paper or publicly obtainable. Why be so secretive?”
