Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Urban Planning

Tallest residential building in city may have 125 floors

Print PDF
The Times of India 11.02.2010

Tallest residential building in city may have 125 floors

MUMBAI: In what seems like a sign of recovery in the real estate industry, a consortium of three leading developers has proposed what may be the city’s tallest residential building—486 metres high and having about 125 floors—on Keshavrao Khade Marg near the Mahalaxmi Race Course.

Still at an initial stage, the project’s layout plan was submitted last week to the state-appointed high-rise committee by Joyus Housing Ltd, a consortium floated by three developers, Shapoorji Pallonji, Ackruti and DLF Group.

While the tower will have parking space on six floors, another five floors are proposed to be kept vacant for a refuge area to be used during an emergency; the remaining 114 floors will house flats and suites.

The developers have already started planning the process of shifting around 4,000 people, many living in hutments and others in the BMC staff quarters on part of the plot, to transit accommodation.

“As a project, we don’t intend to make it the tallest in the city. As it is, this is at a very early stage and there are still hundreds of clearances to be taken. It will be a lengthy procedure until a final height limit is arrived at and it could take at least two years,’’ said Hemant Shah of Ackruti.

Officials from the high-rise committee confirmed the project as the tallest building proposal they have received since the committee was formed six years ago. The second tallest proposed structure the committee is studying is Skylark Heights at Worli. The project proposes two separate towers, commercial at a height of 159.9 m and a residential one 375.6 m in height, and will be roughly 74 floors over and above three floors for the basement and another 11 for parking.

As a symbol of Mumbai’s financial might, the MMRDA too recently announced an over-100-storey “iconic tower’’ at Wadala. The height of the tower (526 m) is likely to make it the tallest as and when it comes up. MMRDA officials, however, confirmed that due to red tape, the height is likely to be scaled down to 80 floors. But no official proposal has been floated as yet by the agency.

The high-rise committee was set up by the state government due to the surge in projects a few years ago and concerns about the effect it could have on the environment and infrastructure. It studies and clears every building being erected over 70 metres.

But barely a handful of the over 160 high-rise projects cleared by a state-appointed committee over the past five-and-a-half years have included facilities like solar power, solar heating, windmills, rainwater harvesting or vermicomposting. The overall development of the surrounding infrastructure too has taken a backseat.

But in the case of the project at Mahalaxmi, the developers claim they plan to upgrade the surrounding infrastructure, including underground utilities, for a mile under the plot.
 

State to follow GHMC plan on roadside shrines

Print PDF

Deccan Chronicle 11.02.2010

State to follow GHMC plan on roadside shrines

February 11th, 2010
By DC Correspondent

Hyderabad, Feb. 10: The government is likely to replicate the three-pronged strategy of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on religious structures in public places, right across the state.

The Supreme Court deadline to formulate a policy on religious structures on roads, in parks and other public places, is February 16. The government has to file an affidavit in the SC by this date and must move to meet the deadline.

The chief secretary, Mr S.V. Prasad, convened a meeting with the departments concerned on Thursday to discuss the policy. Sources said there had been little response to the government’s directions sent on two earlier occasions, in December 2009 and January 2010.

The Supreme Court has asked states not to allow any unauthorised constructions of temples, churches, mosques and gurudwaras on streets, in parks and other public places. Existing structures should be reviewed and appropriate steps taken at the earliest.

“The GHMC has already filed an affidavit on a similar issue in the High Court and we will discuss the pros and cons of implementing the same strategy across the state,” a senior official said.

The GHMC proposed to remove temporary and small structures immediately, and take more time in the case of semi-permanent structures. It proposed that committees be formed of religious heads in case of structures that has sentimental value.

 

HMWSSB takes up sewer maintenance

Print PDF

The Hindu 11.02.2010

HMWSSB takes up sewer maintenance

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board has launched ‘preventive maintenance of sewers’ to clean sewers during nights, especially in densely populated areas.

The cleaning process was taken up at Koti, Afzalgunj and Feelkhana areas on a pilot basis on Wednesday.

Equipped with air-tech machines, trained departmental sewerage technicians took up the cleaning process and all the necessary tools such as ladders, ropes, gloves etc., were provided for the workers.

HMWSSB MD M.T. Krishna Babu personally supervised the works.

Last Updated on Thursday, 11 February 2010 02:35
 


Page 258 of 328