Hyderabad to adopt ‘land pooling’ and Local Area Development Planning to revolutionise HMDA functioning

Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority introduces Local Area Development Planning and Land Pooling Policy for urban transformation in Telangana.

Transformational shifts are on the cards in the urban development approach in Telangana, with the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority setting out to introduce Local Area Development Planning (LADP) coupled with a Comprehensive Land Pooling Policy for better urban planning.

Metropolitan Commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmed in a lengthy interaction on Saturday, said both the policies are aimed at addressing chronic issues such as non-availability of land for organised open spaces, public utilities, social infrastructure and low-cost housing.

LADP, which exists in several other States, was not adopted in Telangana due to availability of vast tracts of open land in Hyderabad and surroundings. It involves HMDA in micro-level planning, instead of confining to designing Master Plans.

“As part of Master Plan, the plan area is divided into one to 1.2 square kilometre grid, and roads and other facilities are planned around each of the grids. Planning each grid, consisting of 250 to 300 acres of land, is not taken care of so far, leaving several plots without access roads. LADP envisions intensive planning inside each grid, leading to more organised development,” Mr. Ahmed said.

It will also help planners to earmark spaces for public utilities, parks, schools and hospitals, besides providing pedestrian infrastructure.

Town planning legislations have provisions for the LADP, but it has so far been neglected in the undivided Andhra Pradesh and Telangana too. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has given in-principle approval for the proposal giving the urban development authority a nod for appointing a consultant for the same.

Land pooling policy which is in the drafting stage, involves enforcement instead of the existing consent-based approach. It is being modelled after the policy adopted by the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) of Andhra Pradesh, and requires certain amendments with regard to resumption of assigned lands in lieu of developed plots.