KCR moots Istanbul model for city
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday announced that Hyderabad City would be developed on the lines of Istanbul, the Turkish capital, without disturbing any of the heritage structures. He said that plans were afoot to undertake renewable development plans in the entire State capital. 'Istanbul is before the world as an example of development without disturbing its Heritage structures.
Many architects of the Istanbul renovated the entire city without disturbing and tampering with the heritage looks of the city. Telangana State government is also trying to develop Hyderabad city without disturbing its heritage structures in the lines of Istanbul,' he said while addressing at the valedictory function of the 11th World Metropolis Congress (WMC), amidst a huge round of applause from hundreds of delegates.
Delivering an extempore address in the presence of President Pranab Mukherjee and Governor ESL Narasimhan, the Chief Minister said that slums had become a curse to cities across the globe. He called upon all the delegates to strive for creating slum-free cities. 'Slums are ugly part of our urban life and hence, they need to be removed. Global cities should be slum free and they should not be further allowed any slum growing by taking up the development of satellite townships,' he said.
KCR expressed concern over shrinkage of land in urban areas, thanks to the migration of people and added that the need of the hour was to sensitize people regarding the utilization of urban land.
'We are aware of the reality that the global urban population is going to touch 50 per cent very shortly leading to the shrinkage of land. We have to make a living with existing land.
I strongly feel that there is a greater need to organize sensitization programmes on how to use urban lands in a scientific manner. Let us all strive our best to make all global metropolitan cities into slum free cities.
We cannot stop migration but we have to prepare constructive plans with proper assessment of migration to urban bodies,' he said. Executive Mayor of Johannesburg and Co-President of the Metropolis Congress, Park Tau said that the delegates were grateful for the hospitality of the government of Telangana, GHMC and the organizers.
He said it was encouraging that Metropolis youth have been launched. Telangana Chief Secretary Rajiv Sarma briefed delegates about the discussions and debates at various sessions and plenary at the Metropolis Congress. He said that 40 sessions were held on various issues pertaining to the urban development. The next MWC is scheduled to be held at Buenos Aires, Argentina.
News Posted: 10 October, 2014
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