The Kancha Gachibowli site, which was about to be entirely razed a few days back, will now be turned into an eco-park. Following the Supreme Court's directives, the Telangana government took a U-turn and decided to build “one of the world’s largest eco-parks,” serving unique flora and fauna. The new plan also includes the University of Hyderabad (UoH), as they seek campus land to make their dream of the largest eco-park a reality.
The original plan mandated auctioning off a 400-acre parcel of land, which has now been scrapped after a huge outrage among residents, students, activists, and others concerned about nature. According to reports, the new plan states that 2,000 acres of land, including the UoH, will be used for making the eco-park.
As per the plan, the university will be asked to relocate to the Future City, which will be set up on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Reportedly, the government said the university would be compensated 100 acres in Future City and a Rs 1,000-crore investment to create a new campus.
If implemented, the eco-park will become an environmental tourism destination modelled on some of the world's largest urban green spaces. It would have one of the tallest observatories with observation decks at different levels.
Officials would use a micro-ecosystem approach to build this eco-park, with plans to study soil types and biodiversity, establish wildlife conservation zones, plant diverse tree species, and develop green tourism attractions such as walking trails, cycling tracks, and eco-friendly visitor spaces. Dedicated areas would also be set aside to protect wildlife. Additional features include a bird park, butterfly garden, turtle park, and open-air gyms.
Environmental scientists, activists, students, academia, and conservationists would comprise a governing council to oversee the project's administration. The university would be in charge of managing the project.
Meanwhile, the student union said the deal wasn’t fair, giving 1,600 acres in exchange for just 100 acres. However, supporters said the environment had been badly damaged as many trees had already been cut down.
