Open spaces in Hyderabad to be developed into places of public activity

Hyderabad, April 16:  Open public spaces in Greater Hyderabad will be rejuvenated through meaningful urban designs for public activities like libraries, play areas, social gatherings, and points for economic convergence.

An MoU was Sunday signed between the Telangana government and Hyderabad Urban Lab Foundation (HUL) to promote sustainable models, tools, and best practices for low-cost urban innovation and sustainable urbanisation.

The HULF will work in partnership with the local stakeholders, private organisations, architecture students and colleges, non-profit and philanthropic sectors.

This initiative aims to promote well-thought-out design solutions for the informal settlements like slums, abandoned and open places, stepped spaces and places where there rapid urbanisation. Through this initiative, these spaces will be converted into vibrant living spaces using "Urban Acupuncture".

Officials said all this will be taken up using low-cost intervention techniques. Citizens have been requested to send the list of such open spaces to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

Almost all localities including slums have open spaces, varying from few hundred yards to about an acre. They are often neglected, used to dump garbage, construction and demolition waste and over a period of time, turn into a place which is used for consumption of alcohol or illegal activities. Left unattended, they often turn dangerous from a safety viewpoint, especially for women and children.

The Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, along with the Revenue Department and the GHMC, will identify and inventorise all such land parcels and over a period of time develop them into meaningful public activities. The effective use of urban designing and architecture can set the plan for development for such sites, in consultation with local stakeholders so that ownership is there and once the plan made ready, the MAUD Department and the GHMC can actually implement those plans for effective utilisation and meaningful rejuvenation of such places.

The Hyderabad Urban Lab Foundation, led by Anant Maringanti, has come forward to promote well-thought out design solutions for urban infrastructure and aesthetic deficits in Hyderabad, by working in neighbourhoods in an 'urban acupuncture' mode.

They made a detailed presentation to Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday. Special Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Arvind Kumar, GHMC Commissioner Lokesh Kumar, and all Zonal Commissioners were present.

A day later, the Department signed a MoU with HULF in the presence of the minister.