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Master plan moots lung space Koride Mahesh

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The Times of India 29.12.2009

Master plan moots lung space Koride Mahesh

HYDERABAD: With parcels of government land in the city being converted into commercial spaces, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has put in place riders like mandatory lung spaces for their redevelopment.

Also, these conditions have been incorporated in the revised master plan for the core city area (erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad). These conditions have been put in the master plan as government land like old Gandhi Medical College in Basheerbagh has been given to a private developer for developing an entertainment centre. Various organisations raised objections when the government gave its land to private developers for redevelopment three years ago.

The HMDA has listed out 29 infrastructure and facility nodes (Infans), mainly government properties with large tracts of vacant land in the city such as Government Printing Press, Chanchalguda, ITI, Musheerabad, Gudimalkapur market yard and surrounding land, parts of Punjagutta government quarters, Hyderabad district collectorate, AP Dairy Development Corporation in Lalapet and parts of government land on the premises of Women's College in Koti.

"We have proposed ‘no-conversion-of-land-use' clause with regard to government schools, colleges, hospitals and open spaces. Redevelopment will be allowed only for parcels of land use like residential, commercial or recreation," HMDA director (Planning) A V Bhide said.

In multi-purpose zones, redevelopment would be allowed only if public facilities, amenities and open spaces are provided. Also, the redeveloped properties would have to be green buildings as per guidelines of HMDA.

"In case of notified multiple use projects, lung spaces should be at one consolidated space while taking it up for redevelopment. No construction activity will be allowed in plantation zone, parks and play grounds," the director said.

It has also been proposed in the revised master plan that new government buildings, offices and institutions should have high boundary walls with railings on top of it. However, in strategic and defence areas, the wall would be exempted.

With several industrial zones located in the core areas of the city like Azamabad industrial area, the HMDA said conversion of land use from industrial to other would be allowed only after getting No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) and the industries department.

"HMDA has put several conditions like extent of land be a minimum of 8,000 square metres, 15 per cent open space and mandatory setbacks, three per cent of land be earmarked for social amenities like health centres, post offices and eSeva centres and 10 per of built up area be given to economically weaker sections and low income groups in the form of apartments for all residential developments," a city planner said.