Offering peaceful walks, serene environ, birds and bees, and an opportunity for self-reflection in verdant surroundings, thirty urban forest parks, in various phases of development in the city peripheries, are certain to bring one closer to oneself.
All thanks to the Forest Department for taking up the initiative to turn these derelict forest blocks into lung spaces, and more.
“We the residents of 30 colonies from Boduppal, Peerzadiguda and Medipally are thankful to the foresters. Before this park came up, our property prices were very low. Now, the land rates and also the house rent have gone up,” said S. Janardhan Reddy, the president of Walkers’ Association at Shantivanam urban park developed near Medipally in Medchal district, speaking to the media during a guided media tour conducted by the Forest Department.
Upon instructions from Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, these forest blocks are being developed under Telanganaku Haritha Haaram programme, offering citizens of the surrounding localities walking, cycling, and breathing spaces. Entry fee being charged is ₹15 for an adult and ₹10 for a child. Regular visitors may pay ₹100 for a monthly pass.
Already, Sanjeevani Vanam at Gurramguda, Panchavati Park at Domnair, Bhagyanagar Nandanavanam and Shanthivanam at Medipally, Oxygen Park at Kandlakoya near Kompally, and Prashantivanam at Dulapally have been completed and opened to public.
The officials have made sure that a compound wall is built around the forest block, with an entrance and parking space. The facilities provided vary from park to park, and are being added in phases. Though cycling tracks are yet to be readied in majority of them, Shanthivanam at Medipally has an open gym for fitness freaks.
Gazebos, yoga sheds and pagodas with seating are provided for relaxation, and watch towers are available for those who want to get a bird’s eye view of the park. The Bhagyanagar Nandanavanam also has a deer park, while Oxygen Park near Kandlakoya is made aesthetically appealing that also has many selfie points.
A snake rescue centre too is being planned at one of these parks, said the officials.
Urban forest parks are also being developed in other parts of the State, such as Adilabad, Nirmal, Kothagudem, Khammam, Nizamabad, Bhupalpally, Warangal, Siddipet, Mahabubnagar, and Wanaparthy.
“Within the HMDA limits, we have 193 forest blocks encompassing 58 lakh hectares. Sixteen parks have been taken up so far, and six are completed,” said Rakesh Mohan Dobriya, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Hyderabad, G. Chandrashekhar Reddy, said 30 forest blocks within Outer Ring Road are being taken up in the first phase, with 30 more within five-km and 25 within 10-km radius of ORR scheduled for subsequent phases, all to be completed in the next three years.
In the bargain, the department also aims to protect its valuable green islands within the city from land sharks.
