The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Polls may delay master plan for core city

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Tuesday, Mar 03, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Polls may delay master plan for core city

HYDERABAD: The General Elections announcement is likely to delay notification of the Draft Master Plan (DMP) for the core capital region by a few months although the detailed exercise is at an advanced stage of preparation.

Senior officials involved in the much delayed project claim they are just a month or two away from coming out with a plan for ex-MCH area and that the extra time gained would be put to good use to take up joint field surveys by the planning staff of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The planning personnel of both the agencies have been putting their heads together pouring through previous studies and holding technical discussions in the last few months to take an inventory of the population, study existing land use patterns, economic and demographic predictions, infrastructure requirement and ways to balance development with ecological issues. “We have studied in detail Zonal Development Plans (ZDP) prepared by HUDA between 1983-95 and co-relating them with the latest satellite images,” said an official.

Critical data

The challenge for urban planners is to prepare a plan for an already developed and densely populated region. Incorporating critical data of road networks, road development plans, open spaces, water bodies as well as house numbering is underway. Best examples from cities like New Delhi, Mumbai and others for issues like infrastructure planning and development plus upgradation, conservation of heritage, traffic, etc., are being studied to make improve the living standards in Hyderabad.

Once ZDPs are looked at afresh, the focus would also be on the area development plans, officials said. Once the DMP’s notification is issued, public suggestions and objections would be invited. Only then would the final proposed land use and zonal and development control regulations come into force.

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