Hyderabad: Revocation of GO111 raises hope for speedy development of western region

Hyderabad: Realtors, ready with plans to add value to Brand Hyderabad, are eagerly awaiting guidelines following the revocation of GO 111.

The government move has opened 1.32 lakh acres of catchment area covering 84 villages in the mandals of Shamshabad, Shabad, Rajendranagar and Chevella for business.

“This is a great opportunity for the government to make Hyderabad the smartest city by keeping in mind the environment aspect and carbon footprint,” said Shekar Reddy, chairman of Indian Green Building Council and former president of CREDAI.

"We are waiting for new regulations and to see what is possible. Considering the need for lung (green) spaces, a part of the land should also be reserved for this," he said.

The Telangana Real Estate Developers Association (TREDA) has asked the government entities to plan development zones in such a way that the ecological balance is maintained.

Gummi Ramreddy, vice-president of CREDAI, said big changes becon the western parts of the city, apart from changes within the catchment areas. "The place will hold huge real estate potential owing to their proximity to the IT corridors," he said.

Srikanth from North Star Constructions felt it is too early to say. "A lot of cases filed by activists and agitators are pending. It will take at least 2-3 years to resolve them."

Former Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy said the revocation of GO 111 should not give rise to a GO 222. "Environment protection and development must go hand in hand and GO111 was not protecting the lake. The new one has to be better," he said.

Residents, however, were delighted. Now, not only will the price of land soar but there will be massive real estate development.

"Hopefully, industries will come up here, as they did in Patancheru. Our children can get jobs," said Buchi Reddy of Aziznagar in Moinabad mandal. What about pollution?

"What is the harm? Anyway water from the reservoirs is not being used for drinking," he said.

The decision is a '50-50' deal; it will benefit the locals, but also cause pollution of the water bodies. "They will get polluted for sure, for where else will sewage from the apartments and factories go,” said farmer Ashok Kumar.