The Hindu 06.02.2010
Mixed response to draft Master Plan
Promising to give a direction to a city that has been growing in all directions, the Master Plan draft put for suggestions and objections has been receiving a mixed response from different quarters. Having sought to usher in some new concepts, it has been receiving flak for some of the proposals .
Among a host of others, the Master Plan has come out with a proposal on land-subdivision, plots amalgamation and group housing. The plot sub-division is proposed to be allowed for sites falling in residential use zone subject to a minimum plot size of 50 sq.metres with minimum frontage of 6 m and access of 3.6 m in areas that fall in congested areas as specified. In other areas, the minimum area for plot sub-division permissible has been put at 80 sq.m with minimum frontage of 6 metres and an access of 6 metres.
Towards encouraging plot amalgamation, it has been proposed that in congested areas, the minimum access roads for such amalgamation be 6 metres for plots up to 500 sq.metres, 9 metres for plots up to 1,000 sq.metres and minimum of 12 metres access beyond 1,000 sq.metres. Also, it seeks at allowing mixed uses for amalgamated plots of minimum 4,000 sq.metres and abutting 18 metres wide road subject to payment of land use conversion charges.
Also featuring in the Master Plan is the proposal on Specific Area Development Plans (SADPs) which are to be prepared separately for detailed planning and urban renewal for 14 identified locations. These include railway stations of Secunderabad, Hyderabad (Nampally), Malakpet, Kachiguda, Falaknuma, Bharatnagar apart from the industrial estate lands at Sanathnagar, Azamabad, Chandulal Baradari and the government land and industrial land near Secretariat-Tank Bund areas.
The other locations include Charminar bus depot, Mehdipatnam bus depot, Mint compound and surrounding lands along with 100 metres on either sides of river Musi.
Incentives
Among incentives proposed for road widening and new link roads, the Master Plan has come out with proposal on extra floors for air rights. Thus, any land owner who surrenders land voluntarily for link roads, connecting link, missing link between two major/critical roads for providing a minimum of 6 metres by 3.5 metre opening in his site for linking the road which pass under the built structure like a tunnel, the owner is to be allowed air rights to build over the road link to the extent of his site.
The plan which has raised a public debate on pros and cons of several features also propose Infrastructure and facility nodes (Infans) which primarily are government property for future development and to act as nodes for public facility, parking lots, emergency services etc.
While retaining existing industrial land use, it however offers conversion from industrial use to multiple use on production of no objection from APIIC/Industrial Department and subject to provision of more open spaces and also provision of social amenities such as police stations, fire stations and others. All the roads and open spaces earmarked in various schemes such as cluster housing, group housing, large apartment complexes and other type of group development schemes are to be handed over to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation free of cost through a registered deed before the issue of occupancy certificate. The society/association could in turn enter into an agreement with the GHMC for utilising, managing and maintaining the roads and open spaces, it says.
T. Lalith Singh
