Sakhamuru, a nondescript village in Thullur mandal of Andhra Pradesh will host the single largest lung space in the State’s capital region in the form of a 200-acre botanical garden.
The AP-Capital Region Development Authority (AP-CRDA) which is developing it, has identified a 100-acre parcel of land for the garden and got it incorporated in the master plan, official sources said.
“The plan is to establish it across 200 acres, but for the time being, the initiative is limited to half that area. The garden will expand at a later stage. The botanical reserve will have a rich variety of plants intended to act as a repository of diverse types of flora from the region,” said a senior project official. When complete, the garden will serve as a tourist spot and a place of interest for school and college students.
Six plant nurseries
Besides, six nurseries set up by the landscaping and environment wing of the CRDA at Mandadam, Kondamarajupalem, Navuluru, Penumaka, Velagapudi and Venkatayapalem will help raise greenery across the region. These facilities have a collection of 10 lakh saplings.
Two other big projects undertaken by the CRDA are those which will give Gannavaram–Ramavarappadu and Kanaka Durga Varadhi–Pottur (Guntur Rural Mandal) stretches of the respective national highways a green look by raising plantations along the central dividers.
Krishna green belt
Further, a 100-metre wide green belt is to be created along the course of the Krishna river.
The CRDA gets designs for landscaping and avenue tree planting from the A.P. Urban Greening and Beautification Corporation and hopes its ‘green drive’ will help meet goals and objectives on tree cover contained in Central and State laws. The AP Biodiversity Board lists 2,800 plants as important, of which 1,800 are used in traditional medicine.
