Kasu Brahmananda Reddy Park

Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) Park is located in between Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills. It is spread over 352 acres and divided into conservation zone (213 acres) and visitor zone (139 acres). This is a national park.

It provides an excellent lung space and an environment away from the busy city life and pollution, a paradise for joggers and walkers with a view of hilly terrain, outcrops and diverse flora and fauna.

The park has over 600 plant species including Sandalwood, Teak and Neem; 133 bird species including peacock, partridges, quails and owls; 20 species of butterflies and several invertebrates; 20 reptiles and amphibians including cobra, python,Russell Viper and lizards; 20 mammals including hares, porcupines,Civet cat,Jungle cat, jackal and pangolin.

Major landmarks are Jubilee Hills Check Post, TDP office, LV Prasad Eye Hospital and Annapporan Film Studios.The nearest MMTS station is at Madhapur.The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is 25 km away and the Secunderabad Railway Station, 15 km.

History

The Chiran Palace was built in 1960, which was given to Prince MukarramJah on his coronation by his father Prince AzamJah in 1967.The complex has the palace and other property that includes Mor (peacock) Bungalow on a hillock,Gol Bungalow; stables for elephants,horses and cattle, motor khana that housed a fleet of exquisite vintage cars, a workshop for heavy machinery,petrol pump,several outhouses,two wells and an equal number of water tanks.These structures spread over in 19 locations,which are the retainable areas of HEH the Nizam. A boundary wall protects the entire park.

The entire palace area was declared as National park by the Andhra Pradesh govtafter seeking approval from the central govt in 1998, and brought under the jurisdiction of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972. This gave control to the forest department and the Nizamwas left with the control of about 6 acres. The park was named as KasuBrahmananda Reddy National Park in memory of former Chief Minister of AP,with only the palace building being referred to as Chiran Palace.

Divisional Forest Officer, Konda Mohan, said, “The Park has accredited with certification of well managed national park in India by SCS Global Services (International), in December 2014.This was the first among all the 600 national parks and sanctuaries in India.” They have introduced Integrated Bio-Metric System at the two entrance gates as a security measure,in addition to the existing 32 video cameras at all important exits and entrances.

There are fifteen personnel work for administration and maintenance, and thirty security staff deployed day and night. Visitors are allowed to walk along the designated pathways to see the flora and fauna and enjoy its wilderness.

Problems

N KameshwarRao and other regular walkers said that in summer,the walking tracks are raising high levels of dust and is inhaled is leading to health hazards and asthmatic problems. “We have represented the issue with Prakash Javadekar, Minister for Environment and Forests, during his visit to the park for provision of automated sprinklers in the walking track area for which he had agreed to consider to solve the issue.”

By:CH Saibaba