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New Indian Express

HMDA mulls land pooling to unlock potential

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) is finalising a proposal to implement Land Pooling and Area Development (LPAD) to unlock land potential, deliver planned infrastructure, and promote inclusive urban growth across the Hyderabad Metropolitan Region (HMR). HMDA will engage a consultancy to draft legislation, rules, and guidelines for LPAD and to implement a pilot scheme. Officials said that despite an existing master plan, its execution, especially of arterial and sub-arterial roads, remains inconsistent. This has resulted in landlocked parcels and unregulated development lacking proper road access, utilities and essential public services. In many cases, the authority is forced to provide infrastructure after unplanned construction, an approach seen as inefficient and costly. The present legal framework under the HMDA Act is considered inadequate to support integrated urban development. The proposed LPAD model, based on town planning schemes in Gujarat and Bhubaneswar, allows for equitable land reconstitution, integrated infrastructure provision, and phased release of development plots. HMDA aims to ensure road connectivity across HMR to prevent isolated land parcels. The authority plans to identify at least 10 potential LPAD sites, each measuring about 5,000 acres. The objectives include a review of all existing legislations, rules and guidelines for LPAD/town planning and local area planning in Telangana. After preparing concept reports, two projects will be shortlisted for pre-feasibility studies as part of the pilot initiative.