Hyderabad: HMDA transforms national highways green corridors

Hyderabad: Green cover on the national highways under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has improved considerably. The HMDA's efforts transformed the national highways into lush green corridors decorated with bright flowers.

The green works taken up on 64 km-long Warangal Highway (NH-163) with Rs.15.04 crore and the 33- km Nanded Highway with a budget of Rs 3.57 crore, gave a new driving experience along the highways. In addition to developing greenery and flower-yielding plants along highways, central medians have also been developed which helped commuters travel safe and pleasant.

The eight-km central median along Srisailam Highway (NH-765), the 25- km central median greenery along the Kurnool Highway (NH-44), and 39-km along the Rajiv Road State Highway (SH-1) are some other stretches being greened. At all these places HMDA also took up multi-layer plantations.

Ahead of the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam, Yadagirigutta, inauguration, the State government has appealed to the Centre to cooperate in the enhancement of greenery along the Warangal National Highway.

After the request failed to evince a response, the Chief Minister instructed Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD) Minister KT Rama Rao to develop greenery on the highways with State government funds. Following this, HMDA has taken up the works. These environmental conservation measures are being lauded nationally and internationally.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has already conducted a study on HMDA works related to improving the green cover.

A student from the University of Berlin has also done a research on HMDA multi-layer plantation. The green cover on the Outer Ring Road also increased due to the Telangana Ku Haritha Haram programme.