Telangana High Court Dismisses PIL Against Vertex Developers, Cites Lack of Clarity on Land and Approvals

In a development of significance to Hyderabad’s real estate sector, the Telangana High Court on Monday declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging encroachment of airport land by a private developer, citing lack of clarity and incomplete documentation in the petition.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Ghouse Meera Mohiuddin dismissed the PIL filed by a resident of Thukkuguda village, which sought action against Vertex Developers LLP over alleged encroachment of 97 acres and 6 guntas of land reportedly belonging to the Airport Authority of India.

The petitioner alleged that the developer’s Vertex KLR GIGA CITI project, located near the Tukkuguda Airport Viewpoint, was being developed on government land across multiple survey numbers in Mankhal village, under Thukkuguda Municipality in Maheshwaram Mandal of Rangareddy district.

However, the court noted that the petition failed to provide authenticated land records or clearly establish the nature of the alleged encroachment. The Bench also observed that the petition lacked specific details regarding statutory approvals, including those purportedly obtained from planning and regulatory authorities such as the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA).

Making a key observation relevant to the real estate industry, the court questioned how regulatory bodies like HYDRAA and RERA could be expected to intervene in the absence of precise land identification and verifiable approval details. The Bench underlined that regulatory oversight in real estate development must be based on clear, documented facts rather than broad or ambiguous allegations.

The High Court, therefore, dismissed the PIL, reiterating that challenges to real estate projects—particularly those involving land ownership and statutory permissions—must be supported by complete and credible documentation. The ruling reinforces the importance of due diligence, transparent approvals, and accurate land records in large-scale real estate developments.