Wakf Board cracks whip on erring tenants

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Wakf Board officials have taken up a verification drive of tenants at Patel Market in old city as most of them are not paying rent.

According to officials, of the 300 shops, only 120 shopkeepers were paying rent regularly. Ever since the Board hiked the rent by over 50 per cent in 2014, most of the shopkeepers are not paying rent. The Telangana Legislative House Committee on Wakf properties ordered these shopkeepers to vacate the properties.

Since the last three days, Wakf Board officials have been verifying the records of tenants at Nabi Khana Moulvi Ali Akbar Wakf complex and serving them notices. The



Commercial Tax Department officials have also joined the Wakf team and issued notices to traders who have not been paying rent since the last four years.

It was found during the drive that a trader had occupied 30 mulgies (shops) of Wakf Board for the last 27 years claiming to have entered into an agreement with the builder who had developed this complex. However, he did not have any agreement with the Wakf Board.

Chairman Mohammed Saleem said that officials were asked to enquire all aspects of this case and evacuate the tenant without any further delay and allot the same property to others, if the allegations were found to be true.