Following demands from different quarters and to facilitate more discussion and debate on the Draft Development Plan for Hyderabad Metropolitan Region, the last date for objections and suggestions would be extended by two months.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) Commissioner, Rajeshwar Tiwari told a workshop organised in the city on Saturday, September 11, that they had decided to extend the deadline by two months. “We want to give more time, we want more suggestions from all stakeholders and if required, we will extend it further too,” he said.
The workshop on Draft Master Plan was organised by Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI)-Hyderabad in association with the Institute of Town Planners, India- A.P. Regional Chapter (ITPI-APRC).
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Region population was expected to go up to 1.84 crore by the year 2031 and those living here would be demand every civic amenity. “There will be pressure on water supply, roads and there will be issues of environment, solid waste management and so on. We have to visualise all these for the development plan,” Tiwari said.
In his address, B.R.Meena, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, APIIC, observed that the growth of a city in a way depends on industrial activity and Hyderabad has huge potential in the form of IT, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, defence production and aerospace.
Industry was an important driver for growth of a city and one has to be sensitive to the point that industries have to be accommodated.
The Hyderabad Metro Rail Managing Director, N.V.S. Reddy, underscored the fact that better air quality and better quality of life in a city could be ensured through good mass public transportation.
Citing the example of the US, he said the Outer Ring Road (ORR) had huge potential to bring in investment and development.
Highlighting the draft stage of a Master Plan, B.Purushottam Reddy, Chairman, ITPI-APRC, said that public participation was very crucial as the exercise ultimately was meant for all. However, he added, “Let there be constructive criticism and not criticism just for the sake of criticism”.
K. Dhananjay Reddy, GHMC Additional Commissioner, called upon all stakeholders to join in the exercise at this stage of the Master Plan to avoid the possibilities of having to tinker it later.
He also suggested sectoral-wise discussion covering travel and transport, land use patterns and so on to be able to generate better debate and discussion.
The CREDAI-India Vice-President, C.Sekhar Reddy assured active participation of the confederation members and said that Hyderabad Metropolitan Region was poised for growth and necessary issues such as environmental sustainability need to be pondered upon.
In his address, G.Yoganand, President, CREDAI-Hyderabad sought to put focus on key deterrents of quality of life which included water supply, public transportation, parks and open spaces.
Officials from different civic bodies, representatives of non-government organisations and students of architecture and planning also participated in the workshop.
