The University of Hyderabad (UoH) Student Union announced an indefinite protest beginning April 1, 2025, at 10.00 am at the Administration Building over the controversial clearing of 400 acres of ecologically sensitive land in Kancha Gachibowli.
The protest comes after a tense standoff on March 30 between students and Telangana Police, following which authorities deployed excavators to begin leveling forest cover on the disputed land. According to student representatives, the area is home to a diverse ecosystem, including rare flora and fauna, two major lakes, and significant rock formations.
The Telangana Government plans to auction the land for industrial and IT infrastructure development, despite growing opposition from environmental activists and the university community, who argue this would destroy one of Hyderabad's last remaining green spaces.
In response to the escalating situation, the UOH Student Union has issued four key demands:
1. Immediate removal of all Police & JCB deployed on the campus
2. Written assurance by the university that it will take steps to ensure that the land is registered under the university
3. Release the minutes of the Executive Committee meeting held on the issue
4. Ensure transparency in land-related documents
Sunday's (March 30) clearing operations saw 40 excavators deployed to the site and 54 students taken into preventive custody without formal charges being filed. The student union has called for widespread participation in their protest to safeguard what they describe as an invaluable ecological resource for both the university and the broader Hyderabad region.
