HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) proposes to develop each of Forest Block in two zones — Conservation zone of around 80-85 per cent of total area, where, forest protection, soil and moisture conservation works will be taken up to promote natural and artificial regeneration.
The other will be visitors zone of 15-20 per cent of the area to provide parking area, entry plaza, pathways, theme parks, gazebos, visitor amenities like washrooms, drinking water facilities, seating, nature interpretation shed etc.
Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) have been prepared for each cluster and the total amount required is Rs 99.50 crore for 16 Urban Forest Blocks.
Engineering wing of HMDA has called for tenders for development of see-through wall for all 16 clusters in five packages. Designs of gate archways have been prepared for 16 blocks and tenders are being invited. Pathway work and construction of gazebo work will be taken up in visitors zone of all the 16 blocks. HMDA is not only developing the infrastructure facilities for the urbanites in HMDA area, but also developing the urban green lung spaces in HMDA areas, HMDA Commissioner, B Janardhan Reddy said.
The HMDA has convened a meeting with the EPTRI consultants and who were retired senior forest officers like S D Mukherjee, IFS (Retd), Advisor, EPTRI & Head, ESD and Manoranjan Bhanja, IFS (Rtd), Advisor EPTRI, who are monitoring the development of these forest blocks as per the directions of the Chief Secretary, S K Joshi.
As per government orders issued in May 2018, HMDA is developing 16 forest clusters as “Urban Lung Spaces/Urban Parks” in the HMDA limits, for the benefit of local people by developing them on the lines of KBR Park.