Dont hasten on master plan for Hyderabad

Hyderabad:Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) has announced that his government would formulate a comprehensive master plan to promote Hyderabad as a global city. At a review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan held recently, the Chief Minister asked the HMDA authorities to prepare the master plans for three layers comprising the city surrounded by the present Outer Ring Road (ORR), city between ORR and Regional Ring Road (RRR), and the peripheral areas of the city that extend 5 km beyond the RRR.

The idea of KCR is laudable, but he ignored the real purpose of RRR and the parameters for sustainable urban development.Surprisingly, the CM did not touch the Integrated Master Plan – 2041, prepared by the Hyderabad Metro Development Authority (HMDA). On April 7, 2016, the then MAUD Minister, KTR had asked the HMDA to prepare the integrated plan combining the existing five master plans within three months. 

The HMDA took three years to prepare the plan and submitted it to the Telangana government for approval. But it is put into cold storage. In December 2018, the Central government cleared the Telangana government’s proposals of 4-lane, 362 km length RRR. The main objective of the RRR is to connect the future ring towns like Ibrahimpatnam, ChoutuppalBhuvanagiri, Toopran, Gajwal,Sivampet, Sangareddy, Shankerpally, Chevalla, Shabad, Shadnagar, Yacharam, interconnecting the National and State highways passing through Telangana.

One can hardly expect that the municipal officials will go beyond the instructions and outline given by the CM. His stand is clear about the master plan of Global Hyderabad. It is a process to fill the area within the ORR comprising over 2,500 sqkm. Same manner is to be spelt for agricultural area of more than 13,000 sq km between ORR and RRR, and 5 km area beyond the RRR measuring approximately more than 3,300 sq km.

Even as the CM is in favour of taking the expertise from western countries, he expects that they work in keeping with his proposals. Despite expectations of the CM, this type of exercise cannot be completed within three months taking into account the commissions and omissions to the full satisfaction of the CM. 

Traditionally, land use regulations and bye-laws have been the instruments used for directing a city’s growth.  But the explosive growth witnessed by Greater Hyderabad in recent times calls for a more pro-active approach. A few planning tools adopted worldwide are Capital Improvement Programs (CIPs), Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs) and Transport - Oriented Developments (TODs).
To have a sustainable urban development around Hyderabad, continuous urban sprawl between ORR and RRR and ribbon development of 5 km width along RRR is not preferable in view of the latest sustainable trends in urban development. 

The Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs) model is the most suitable for proposed master plan of Greater Hyderabad.  This model is practiced by the city of Portland, Oregon, USA. It is a radical tool by which the city defines its geographical boundaries. It is important that this tool is offset by an effective plan for infill development. This means that adequate development opportunities must be provided to developers or property owners within the city boundaries through redevelopment or new development in vacant areas marked for different land uses.

In the limits of old Municipal Corporation, there are still considerable open spaces and require infill development. Similarly, within ORR boundary, there are open lands of more than 50 percent, including the agricultural lands.KCR briefing in the meeting, emphasised more on ‘greenfield’ concept rather than ‘infill’ development in the proposed master plan. He prefers ribbon development all along the RRR and in between ORR and RRR. 

Similarly, this model can be also applied to the town and villages namely, Banoor, Patancheru, Kesara, Shameerpet, Dudigal, Edulabad, Devara and Yamjal etc., located in between ORR and RRR.  In many ways, ‘infill’ development is opposite of ‘sprawl’ or ‘green field’ development. It creates compact and vibrant communities with a diverse mixture of land uses, well-connected street patterns and much-needed community resources, such as parks, childcare centers, shops, restaurants, schools and public spaces. The irony is that the lands for RRR are neither acquired nor the project is grounded, but still KCR is in a hurry to have the master plan of ‘Global Hyderabad’ within three months. 

   -Buchi Reddy Avala