HYDERABAD: The coffee-table book about the city’s green cover by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) seems like a page-turner. Titled HMDA Brings to Life Greenery, Lakes, Art and More... In Hyderabad’, it shows how the City of Pearls has grown greener and cleaner over the years.
The picturesque book opens with forewords by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, IT, Industries and MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao, and Special Chief Secretary of Government, MAUD Department and Metropolitan Commissioner, HMDA Arvind Kumar.
The book begins with a chapter called the ‘Tree City’ which has pictures of the trees at the urban forest park located at Pallegadda. The city was awarded by the Arbor Day Foundation, the largest non-profit organisation dedicated to planting trees.
A chapter titled ‘Interchanges.. a Welcome Change’ shows how ring roads and interconnecting roads were developed by the State government. It explains the development of Kokapet, Edulnagulapally, Patancheru, Sultanpur, Dunigal, Medchal and Shamirpet interchanges, to name a few. All of these are backed by beautifully captured landscape photographs by Govind Narayan.
Then there’s ‘City Landscape’ which talks about how town planners have tried to strike a balance between economic sustainability and eco-sustainability. Turn to this chapter for a different perspective of Sanjeevaiah Park, Khairtabad Park, Malakpet Park, Mundikuta Lake, Uppal Nala, Attapur Bridge, Begumpet Rain Graden, Tankbund, Durgam Cheruvu, Neopolis, Balanagar Flyover, NH44 and Bowenpally-Medchal Highway, among other green spots.
‘Lakes and Shores’ is sure to be a popular favourite. Pedda Cheruvu Nacharam Lake, Saroornagar Lake, Kamuni Cheruvu Krishna Reddy Pet Lake, Masab Cheruvu, among others, sit like beautiful blues surrounded by lush green cover. ‘Urban Forests’ such as Amberpet Kalan Urban Forest, SirigiripurUrban Forest park, and the Kammadanan Urban Park sure paint the city green not only in real life but also in print! Illustrations have always been a big hit in the city and so a collage of them all have been carefully captured in the book. The painted flyovers, bridges and ring roads give Hyderabad its exquisite look.
It talks about how town planners have tried to strike a balance between economic & eco-sustainability