AP Police Academy in search of new campus

Tuesday March 28 2006


HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Police Academy (APPA) is searching for alternative locations in Ranga Reddy and Medak districts for setting up a new campus with the prestigious Outer Ring Road (ORR) project all set to consume 21 acres of its land.

The campus would have stayed, if the 21-acre area was on the boundaries of the academy. As per the ORR project design, a major junction with flyovers would be constructed on the 21 acres, which was quite close to the academy’s ceremonial parade ground and other structures.



At a meeting with senior officials of the Home Department, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy gave a green signal to have new premises with world-class facilities and assured that the government would provide 400 acres land.

Rajasekhara Reddy even announced allocation of Rs 120 crore in the ensuing financial year for the purpose and Director General of Police Swaranjit Sen was asked to work out the details so that it can be included in the budgetary estimates.

Accordingly, the APPA officials requested the Ranga Reddy and Medak district collectors besides the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) to suggest three alternative sites for the construction of the academy.

While the Ranga Reddy collector suggested 400 acres land at Jawaharnagar near Hakimpet, a communication from HUDA and Medak collector was still awaited. The Ranga Reddy collector’s proposal, however, is said to be opposed by the locals.

“The government is even considering the possibility of alienating 60 acres of forest land in Survey No 1 adjacent to Chilkur village to retain the APPA there itself,” official sources told this website's newspaper.

This option is time-consuming as the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has to de-reserve the forest land after the State Government fulfil formalities like providing alternative land to the forest department and also paying compensation for afforestation, sources said.

A senior official of the APPA, however, feels that the ambience that has been created over a period of time would be lost and would take several years to regain the same.