Abstract

This case talks about the environmental vs development issue that cropped up following the proposal by the government of the south Indian state of Telangana to cut down thousands of trees in KBR Park located in the city of Hyderabad to lay new roads that would ease traffic in the area. The civic body of the city, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), with the intention of easing traffic snarls in Hyderabad, had taken up an ambitious project to construct flyovers at 54 junctions as a part of the Strategic Road Development Project (SRDP). Of these, six flyovers were to be constructed around KBR Park. GHMC proposed to axe thousands of trees as a part of the SRDP. KBR Park had a lot historical significance and the people of Hyderabad were sentimentally attached to it. The decision taken by the State Government to cut down the trees in the name of development, therefore, met with a lot of opposition. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the State High court supported the people of Hyderabad by stopping the State Government from cutting down trees around KBR Park till further hearing. However, the State Government was still confident about getting stay orders vacated by presenting the benefits that were expected from the construction of the flyovers around KBR Park and by planting hundreds of trees as a compensation. This issue once again brought to the fore the dilemma faced by the urban planners in developing cities in a sustainable manner

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• This case is designed to enable readers to understand and discuss:
• Urban Planning and the Contradictions of Sustainable Development
• Urban development and the environmental challenges
• Environmental protection vs economic development
• The increased importance of green areal spaces within the city space

Keywords

Environment, urban planning, sustainable development, green spaces