In the first step towards development of twin lakes of Hyderabad as tourist destinations, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority on Monday received administrative sanction of ₹100 crore for the beautification of Osmansagar lake (Gandipet).
Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD), Arvind Kumar has issued orders to this effect. The expenditure will be met directly from HMDA funds.
As part of the proposal, a ‘Gandipet Lake Development Task Force’ will be set up under the aegis of HMDA involving Tourism, Revenue, Irrigation, Water Board, TSSPDCL and Social Forestry, Mr. Kumar said. HMDA will come out with an action plan soon.
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To develop the lake as an “eco-friendly recreational tourist destination”, HMDA will incorporate the latest and best components available world over and integrate them with nature and green cover seamlessly, a statement from MAUD said. The development will be in “self-funding” and “self sustainable” manner, it said.
To begin with, HMDA will commission a 48-km chain link mesh fencing around the lake, inclusive of the 30-metre buffer zone, Metropolitan Commissioner T. Chiranjeevulu said.
The buffer zone will include, apart from landscape development, a walking path, a cycling track, a road and a footpath, besides street lighting.
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Shoreline development and landscaping will be taken up around the periphery of Osman Sagar for a length of 25 km.
To make the project commercially viable, further development will be taken up to establish a revolving restaurant, cable car, house boats, night camping area, food courts and other such facilities on public-private-partnership or lease.