Telangana High Court Demands Detailed Excel Proof on Old City Metro Heritage Impact
The Telangana High Court has issued a significant directive to the state government and the Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML), demanding comprehensive documentation regarding potential impacts on heritage structures during Phase-2 metro construction in Hyderabad's historic old city area.
Court Seeks Structured Data in Excel Format
In an unusual move emphasizing systematic documentation, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin specifically requested that all relevant details be presented in an Excel sheet format. This structured approach aims to ensure clarity and completeness in assessing the metro project's interaction with heritage sites.
The bench has mandated that the affidavit include crucial information about the current stage of application processes, permissions for construction activities, and the operational status of the Heritage Conservation Committee. This comprehensive data requirement reflects the court's commitment to thorough examination of heritage protection concerns.
Conflicting Claims About Heritage Impact
The court's intervention comes amid contradictory assessments about the metro project's effects on heritage structures. Additional Advocate General Md Imran Khan, representing both the state government and HAML, presented a PowerPoint demonstration claiming minimal impact, stating that only three officially declared heritage structures would be affected along the proposed 7-kilometer corridor.
However, petitioners from the Act Public Welfare Foundation (APWF) presented a starkly different perspective. Advocate Immaneni Rama Rao argued that numerous "un-notified" heritage structures face potential damage, and that excavation work has already commenced without proper approvals or supervision from heritage authorities.
Heritage Committee Functionality Questioned
A central point of contention revolves around the Heritage Conservation Committee's operational status. While government representatives claimed the committee is being reconstituted and promised that all work would proceed only after securing statutory permissions, petitioners countered that no functional committee currently exists to oversee heritage protection.
The Public Interest Litigation specifically urges compliance with both the Telangana Heritage Act (2017) and the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (1958), highlighting the legal framework governing heritage protection in the region.
Timeline and Next Steps
The court has granted respondents three weeks to compile and submit the detailed affidavit containing all requested information. This follows previous court directions from January 8, when authorities were asked to provide audiovisual presentations about the project.
During Wednesday's hearing, the bench declined to comment on public narratives suggesting the high court had stayed all Phase-2 metro work in the old city. The matter has been adjourned for further hearing on March 3, 2026, allowing time for comprehensive documentation submission.
This legal development represents a critical juncture in balancing urban infrastructure development with heritage conservation in one of Hyderabad's most historically significant areas. The court's emphasis on detailed, structured documentation through Excel sheets underscores the importance of transparent, data-driven decision-making in such sensitive projects affecting cultural heritage.
