The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : HMDA auctions sites earmarked for parks

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Sunday, Apr 17, 2011
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

HMDA auctions sites earmarked for parks

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: In what seems to be the case of ‘fence eating the crop', the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), which should be the role model for others in developing the spaces earmarked for parks and amenities in its layouts, has auctioned away such sites for commercial ventures.

The then Hyderabad Urban Development Authority's decision four years ago to conduct a survey to identify vacant spaces and put them up for auction did not go down well with the residents of HUDA Techno Enclave at Madhapur.

A report carried in these columns with the caption ‘Where are the open spaces in Madhapur?” in July 2007 about the concerns of residents was taken cognisance of by the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) which directed the HUDA and the GHMC to submit details of open spaces and parks provided in different layouts in the city. It had observed that degradation of environment was violation of human right.

Some of the residents pointed out then that had the HUDA developed these parks in the over 14 year-old layout, none would have dared to touch those areas for commercial ventures.

However, HUDA auctioned some plots reserved for amenities and parks as commercial plots in September 2007. The facts came out in response to information sought by R. Surekha under the Right to Information Act in March, 2010. In its response, the HMDA had said that the amenities site (No.C2) in Sector II of HUDA Techno Enclave was auctioned after merging a part of triangular park area opposite Cyber Gateway into it. The Sector II originally had four open spaces, one for amenities and three for parks.

In Sector-III, out of six open spaces, five were reserved for parks situated on the layout boundary near Raidurg.

The officials recommended disposal of two sites as commercial plots. Interestingly, the HMDA admitted that in accordance to the rules of the layout, areas proposed for roads and parks were not saleable.

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