HMDA draft plan envisages 50% land for greenery

HMDA draft plan envisages 50% land for greenery
de Mahesh, TNN, Jun 29, 2010, 05.31am IST
HYDERABAD: Green activists will certainly plump for the new draft master plan. Nearly 50 per cent of land in the extended area of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) can't be used for any development. In other words, it cannot be exploited for residential, industrial or entertainment purpose.

Catchment areas of Himayatsagar and Osmansagar lakes, and parcels of land in defence localities will also fall under this conservative zone.

Of 4848.40 square kilometres open area, 2314.05 sq kilometres can't be developed as it has water bodies, defence land and mangroves. No construction will be permitted within a buffer of 30 metres surrounding the water bodies as per the government orders. A GO, no 111, was issued in this regard by the municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) department 10 years ago banning development in the bio-conservation zone, especially in catchment areas of both Himayatsagar and Osmansagar lakes. Similar is the case with defence zone for security reasons. Over 100 villages will fall under this restricted zone.

Another 12 per cent area is underdeveloped. The rest 40 per cent of the vacant land can be used for development. The HMDA has prepared a draft master plan for an extended area of total 4,920 square kms.

The state government had merged some areas in surrounding four districts--Ranga Reddy, Mahbubnagar, Medak and Nalgonda-- into the erstwhile Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (Huda) to form Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority in 2008. For example, while Chevella, Shabad and Kandukur mandals of R R district were brought under HMDA, a part of Shankerpally, Shamshabad, Maheshwaram, Ibrahimpatnam, Medchal and Shamirpet mandals were merged in the HMDA.

Of the total available open land for contiguous development, which is 834 sq kms, 42 per cent of land has been earmarked for residential usage, five per cent for commercial, 11 per cent for manufacturing, 13 per cent for public-semi public, 12 per cent for open space zone/recreation and 16 per cent for transport and communication.

Giving top priority to transport, the officials have proposed a 45-metre width peripheral ring road in the extended areas to connect the contiguous urban pockets. As national highways pass through the extended HMDA, proposals have been made to have bus rapid transport system.

With railways asking for land, several locations have been identified for new passenger terminals, including Shamshabad, Medchal, near Hi-Tec City railway station and Moula Ali station. Each of these terminals would have around 300 acres of land.

In addition, the land has also been earmarked for cargo terminals at Timmapur between Nadergul and Vikarabad, and between Bibinagar and Bhongir.