Satyam Computer Services Limited,Maytas Properties and Maytas Infra,all owned by the family of Satyam founder and chairman B Ramalinga Raju,own a total of 17,408.53 acres of land in various parts of Andhra Pradesh,Nagpur,Chennai and Bangalore. Of this,253.58 acres was allotted to the family-owned entities to develop Special Economic Zones in Hyderabad,Ranga Reddy and Visakhapatnam districts. Maytas Properties holds 6,800 acres in Hyderabad,Vijayawada,Visakhapatnam and Kakinada. Maytas Properties also owns 300 acres of prime land in Bachupally in Ranga Reddy district,on the outskirts of Hyderabad,on which Maytas Hill County,a luxurious and ultra-modern residential township,is coming up. Of the 6,800 acres with Maytas Properties,approximately 4,000 acres is in and around Hyderabad alone,making Maytas Properties the biggest landowner in the state capital. By its own estimate,Maytas Properties says that each acre costs roughly Rs one crore now which means the land is worth Rs 6,800 crore. This was the estimate on the basis of which Satyam Computer Services Ltd tried to take over shares of Maytas Properties in the December 16 aborted deal. The Raju family also bought 10,000 acres in Rachakonda in Nalgonda district through property dealer Aakula Rajaiah between 2001 and 2007. Though it is in Nalgonda district,the stretch of land owned by the Rajus is in the vicinity of Girish Sanghis Sanghinagar from where Hyderabad district border is only 10 km. A Revenue Department official said that 50 per cent of the 10,000 acres was cultivated by tribals without ownership rights and the remaining was gouchar land. Apart from the 253.58 acres allotted to the Raju family under SEZs,the Andhra Pradesh government allotted lands to Satyam Computer Services Ltd and Maytas Properties at various places without inviting bids. The land was given cheap to the two companies,in some instances 50 to 60 per cent lower than the prevailing market rate. A glaring instance is the allotment of 50 acres to Satyam to develop an IT SEZ at Kapuluppada under Bhimunipatnam Mandal in Vizag district on the scenic Vizag-Bhimili beach road. On December 4,2008,a Government Order (GO) 1349 was issued,allocating 50 acres at Rs 10 lakh per acre to Satyam. But auctions the previous month in the same area by the Vizag Urban Development Authority (VUDA) fetched Rs 5 crore per acre. According to former Union Economic Affairs Secretary EAS Sarma,who leads the Forum For Better Visakha,the decision to allot land to Satyam at such a cheap rate was highly arbitrary and shows the governments eagerness to please,placate and benefit B Ramalinga Raju. The land allotment was also made in violation of all conservation rules. According to VUDA officials,the land allotted to Satyam falls under eco-sensitive areas which include reserve forests where no construction can be allowed. The land allotted to Satyam in Kapuluppuda village is shown as a hilly forest in revenue records and is also classified under Coastal Regulation Zone II category. In a letter to the Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary,EAS Sarma wrote that there were several lapses on the part of the AP Revenue Department in putting aside 50 acres of land in Survey. No. 386 of Kapuluppada village in favour of the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation for onward allotment to Satyam Computers Ltd. Sarma wrote that the land was allotted to the private company at a concessional rate of Rs 10 lakh per acre against the market price of Rs 5 crore an acre in the area. The District Collector had recommended Rs 60-80 lakh an acre but even that recommendation had not been honoured,he wrote. I am yet to receive a reply, says Sarma. On Monday,the state government cancelled this land allotment. In April 2006,the state government had allotted 6.7 acres of land to Satyam Computer Services Limited at the TB Hospital junction in Vizag city. Maytas Properties was also allotted 5.7 acres without inviting bids for its Jubilee Hills Landmark project near KBR Park in Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad. Maytas is developing a 5 plus star hotel,luxury apartments and high-end retail space. Maytas is also developing 70,000 square feet for IT offices and residential buildings.
