80 master plans for UDAs, ULBs

The new master plans will have provisions for outer ring roads (ORRs), mixed land use, and link roads. Officials said the master plans are necessitated as the government has created 70 new municipalities.

The municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) department has begun work on
preparation of about 80 master plans for urban development
authorities (UDAs) and urban local bodies (ULBs) for 2041 as
government has shifted focus on tier-II cities, ULBs with over one
lakh population and municipalities abutting the Hyderabad Metropolitan Region (HMR).

The new master plans will have provision for outer ring roads (ORRs), mixed land
use and link roads. Officials said the master plans are necessitated as the
government has created 70 new municipalities. Some of the master plans for
Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Ramagundam, and Peddpalli were prepared 20 years
ago and needed revised master plans.

Apart from new municipalities, UDAs like Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Siddipet,
Khammam, Mahbubnagar, Nalgonda, and Vemulawada Temple Development
Authority and Yadadri Temple Development Authority (YTDA) have been created.

The Director of the town and country planning (DTCP), which is part of MA&UD, is
coordinating the preparation of the master plans. About 30 to 35 master plans have
already been completed and waiting for state clearance.

“We expect to see rapid growth in towns and urban areas in the next five to 10
years. All the major UDAs and municipalities will also have ORRs keeping the
future needs and growth in mind. Earlier, there was no mixed land use where the
land can be used for any purpose such as residential, commercial and
recreational purpose, especially half a km abutting the proposed ORRs,” 

Until now, all master plans, including HMR master plan 2031, have agricultural
land use. Since urban master plans do not require agricultural land use, this will be
marked as ‘urbanize use’ where it can be converted for other purposes. “Some
will have walk-to-work facilities and provisions for townships in areas where IT
towers have been developed in towns like Karimnagar, Khammam and
Nizamabad,”

Officials said for the planned growth of towns and cities, minister KT Rama Rao also
asked authorities to have a proper sewerage network and lung space apart from
social infrastructure provision. During the launch of the MA&UD annual report a few days
ago, he said by 2025, Telangana will have 50% of its population in urban areas.