Click to play videoNew Delhi: Left with no land to distribute among corporates in Hyderabad, the Andhra Pradesh government is backing a proposal to develop Wakf properties through private builders, in return promising them more revenues.
The 13-storeyed Haj House is the second tallest building in Hyderabad. But its revenue from monthly rentals is insufficient even for its own maintenance.
Barring a few government offices, the building has been vacant for the last seven years. And such is the case with most of Andhra Pradesh State Wakf Board properties.
Wakf & Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammad Ali Shabbir says, “We have 37,700 properties and 4.45 lakh acres of land under direct or indirect control. But the income from them is less than one crore."
The Wakf board has now decided to invite private builders for the development of nearly half of its properties in Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.
Left with no land to allocate to corporates in Hyderabad, the state government too is enthused. Since Wakf properties cannot be sold, they will be developed under Build, Operate and Transfer model.
"These properties will not be sold. The builder will develop the property, maintain it for 15-20 years and then hand it back. During that period, we'll regularly get rents and deposits,” Shabbir adds.
The legal department has already cleared the proposal, but there is a bigger challenge. That of convincing Muslim leaders who oppose the idea of commercialising these properties. A Wakf conference is scheduled for 30th July to give a final shape to this proposal.
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