State, Defence Min To Ink Land Swap Deal Today
Elevated corridors to ease transport issues for northern Hyderabad
Hyderabad:After months of procedural delays, Hyderabad’s long-awaited elevated corridors project is set to move forward with the defence ministry (MoD) and the state government scheduled to formally sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Saturday. The agreement will enable the transfer of approximately 160 acres of defence land, unlocking a key hurdle in the state’s urban mobility plans.
The ceremony will take place at the headquarters of the Telangana and Andhra Sub Area in Bolaram, Secunderabad. The MoU pertains to land acquisition for the construction of two elevated corridors, from Paradise Junction to Shamirpet, and from Paradise to Dairy Farm Road on Medchal Road, meant to decongest key transit routes in the city.
As part of the agreement, the HMDA will hand over 330 acres of government land to the MoD in exchange for the defence land. Officials said the delays were largely due to procedural complexities involving clearances and negotiations with the MoD.
The state has begun building four underground sumps to ensure water supply to cantonment and defence areas. Tenders have been finalised for compound wall construction, and technical studies are ongoing at Begumpet and Hakimpet airports, where the project includes underground tunnels. An additional 26 acres of land, one acre at Begumpet and 25 acres at Hakimpet, will be acquired for this component.
The Shamirpet corridor will require 114 acres of defence land and 78 acres of private land, while the Dairy Farm Road corridor needs 42 acres of defence land and 13 acres of private land.
Environmental concerns have also been factored into the planning. While 10,593 trees are located within the project footprint, only 3,298 will be felled, mostly of the subabul species. Another 4,230 trees, including neem, will be translocated to areas such as Nehru Zoological Park and Hakimpet Sports School. Around 3,095 trees will remain untouched.
