GO-111: Ensure sustainable and eco-friendly development for new areas, say architects

Hyderabad: With development expected to be fast-paced in several newly developing areas in the city following revocation of GO-111, architects say the government should ensure sustainable and eco-friendly development.

"More than aesthetics, the government should pool in resources for something that’s environmentally sustainable. Bring architects on to the table and talk about ways for the city to get on to a sustainable path. It’s 2022 and we are talking about climate change. Such an attempt would be a bold initiative,” proposed architect Pingali Praveen.

Sustainability can be ensured by the kind of power used, the amount of glass used, the extent of greenery created, and use of local flora and fauna rather than exotic ones, Praveen said.

“Look at the way the police commissionerate is coming up. This is a very bad example of the use of glass,” he noted.

Architect P Venugopal, said areas like those that came under GO-111 should be developed as ecologically sensitive areas with a local master plan and a larger vision by involving in the endeavour environmentalists, landscape architects, ecologists and biodiversity specialists.

"In such areas, people could be encouraged to go for rainwater harvesting, avoid blocking the existing natural rainwater channels, do less constructions and grow more trees. It cannot be the conventional way wherein you fill up the entire plot with concrete," he said.

Can existing city areas be spruced up to make them more aesthetically appealing? Architect Shankar Narayan says, yes, this could be tried along a few stretches.

“Road number 36, Jubilee Hills, developed into a major commercial road, was a lost opportunity. It could have been planned better with an arcade, like in Pathargatti in front of Charminar. An arcade could have been built on both sides of the road so that people could walk, and it would have given a nice character to the street,” Narayan said.