Breathing space: Panchatatva Park opens for public

Hyderabad: Telangana minister for municipal administration and urban development K.T Ramarao inaugurated the Panchatatva Park in the Indira Park area on 15 November.

The GHMC has developed 17 theme parks (panchatatva park), one of which was inaugurated on Sunday. This park was developed at a cost of Rs. 17 lakhs. Spread over 16 acres, it has a crosswalk, infinity walks, yoga shed, Raasi Vanam, open gym, and herbal plants.

It has also been proposed to open another open gym as over 6,500-6,800 people visit Indira Park. The GHMC is redeveloping parks across the city and has developed 300 tree parks and 50 theme parks.

Breathing space for Hyderabadis

The GHMC has so far developed 19 major parks each spread across five acres. Of these, 17 theme parks are built on various themes like palmetum, ficus, bougainvilleas, and bamboos. Also, 919 colony parks have been developed in the GHMC area of which 648 parks are being maintained by the CWAs.

The 160-km central median greenery was developed on 105 stretches and 46 traffic islands in the city. Eighteen flyovers in the GHMC limits have greenery while 31 pillars of nine flyovers have vertical gardens.

There are 3,091 open spaces in the GHMC area covering an area of 1,760 acres. Of these, 1,258 open spaces with an area of 578 acres occupied by playgrounds, community halls, graveyards, and temples have been identified for plantation work.

Also, of the remaining 1,833 open spaces, 919 have been developed into parks covering an area of 727 acres. Of the unmaintained 587 open spaces with an area of 276 acres, 83 parks are proposed and being developed as theme parks and colony parks. Remaining 504 open spaces are proposed for dense tree plantation during TKHH 2020 and being developed as "tree parks". Some of the suitable open spaces are being developed as Yadadri Model Natural Forests with dense plantations.

Theme parks and urban forest parks

The state is also planning 50 major theme parks in all zones with a financial outlay of Rs. 1,34.23 crores during 2020-21. Some parks like dog park, Panchatantra park, Miralam Lake Park, and Kishanbagh Park are already open to the public.

Meanwhile, the state said urban forest parks will act as urban lung spaces to relax and rejuvenate the citizens of Hyderabad. The GHMC is taking up dense plantations in reserve forest blocks. The Yadadri Natural Forest Model (Miyawaki) plantations are being taken up in all these blocks.

Fencing work is completed in Madannaguda and Nadergul reserve forests. Work is in progress at Gajula Ramaram RF blocks and 75 per cent of the work has so far been completed. An exclusive visitors' zone is being created for the public with amenities like yoga area, walking and cycling tracks, picnic areas, children's play area and adventurous zone.

Urban forest parks at Nadergul RF (Natures Lap Urban Forest Park), Madannaguda RF (Arogya Urban Forest Park), and Gajula Ramaram cluster RFs (Pranavayu and Shwasa Urban Forest Parks) are being developed on 595 hectares. Nadergul and Madannaguda urban forest parks will be completed by the end of November and the Gajula Ramaram and Suraram urban parks will be completed by January 2021.