In a walled orchard, 3km off national highway 163, two men squat under a mango tree jutting out over the fence of a plot. A few leaves brush against their cheeks, but the conversation is too intense to be disturbed. "The cost of land per square yard is ₹9,500 now, cheapest in the 5km radius," says Nagaraju, the caretaker of the layout in Surangal village in Telangana's Rangareddy district. "Everyone is saying that if the BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) wins [the state elections due later in the year], the price will double. It is better to invest immediately."
His friend Seshu joins in. "I have seen the movements of some ticket aspirants," he adds. "If the party confirms their ticket, they will go for a quick sale. I would like to buy the land to start my own real-estate venture."
More than red jowar roti and kudumulu (steamed rice balls) with mutton curry, the staple here seems to be politics and real estate.
Surangal is roughly 30 minutes from the IT corridor of Hyderabad. A few years ago, land price here was not more than ₹2,000 a square yard. Today, one would be lucky to get it for four times the price. The owners, however, are holding on; they are waiting for a windfall before they sell. The reason: On May 19, the BRS government scrapped GO (Government Order) 111, which restricted construction in the 10km catchment area of two lakesOsman Sagar and Himayat Sagar-on the outskirts of Hyderabad, to prevent pollution of the water. This spans 84 villages covering 1.3 lakh acres. As a result, there was no commercial activity in the region. The only appreciation in land price was because of the proximity to Hyderabad, but the land was mostly used for farming. Now, with the order from 1996 scrapped, there is widespread joy in these villages. And the BRS knows this.
This story is from the June 04, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 04, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Trump and the crisis of liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
