Pocket Park being beautified

By Suresh Krishnamoorthy

HYDERABAD, NOV. 12. The Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) has embarked on an ambitious plan to beautify the city and at the same time rid open spaces of encroachments. As part of this, a beautification plan at the Pocket Park in Khairatabad near the Visweswaraya Park was unveiled.

The Pocket Park at Khairatabad has been beautified with a `Shatha dhara' (fountain with 100 streams) and an eye-pleasing lighting. The MCH Commissioner, Dr. P.K. Mohanty, said this was the first of the 25 such locations for which beautification plans had been prepared by the Urban Forestry division of the MCH, on orders from the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu. The work is to be completed in the next two to three months.

Many of the plans have been prepared by Mr. Raj, who is responsible for the beautification of the Lumbini Park and work on the others has been entrusted to empanelled architects by the MCH. The cost of the projects range from as low as Rs. 35,000 for beautifying the Kasu Brahmananda Reddy Statue on Road No. 2, Banjara Hills to over Rs. 10 lakhs.

The 25 locations identified thus far include the open places near Salarjung Museum, Dilsukhnagar Road, park near Charminar, near Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, Mahaveer Hospital, Lakeview Guest House, main road near Sanjiva Reddy Nagar, Mint Road, Jubilee Hills Checkpost, bus bay on Road No. 3 in Banjara Hills, junction at Cancer Hospital on Road No. in Banjara Hills, Women's College in Koti, Nampally Station, Feroz Gandhi Park, Tilak Park, Floral Clock on Airport Road, near Uppal Bus Stop in Regimental Bazar, opposite Secunderabad Railway Station, CTO Flyover, Island Park near Methodist Church and the Clock Tower Park in Secunderabad.

Some of the important plans are that of a Japanese Garden in the Mohanbagh Park on Road No. 2 in Banjara Hills. This garden would have bonsai plants and a colourful fountain complete with a cascade effect. The Gun Park on the premises of the Assembly is another place where beautification will take place. It will include a compound wall with a grill to protect the shrubbery and will have fountains.

Emphasis has been given to having different varieties of greenery in all the open places identified. No budget has been earmarked and the various departments of the MCH will simply the funds available with them for beautification. Dr. Mohanty said, `we are in the process of taking beauty from the Airport Road to all over the city'.

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Section  : Southern States
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