Drip irrigation may replace tankers to maintain ORR greenery amid road safety concerns
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) is seriously exploring alternatives to water tankers for maintenance of greenery on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), given their
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) is seriously exploring alternatives to water tankers for maintenance of greenery on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), given their role in fatal accidents on the stretch. Maintenance of greenery on the ORR has claimed several lives in recent years. In April this year, a software engineer and his toddler died when the car they were travelling by rammed a stationary tanker watering the trees between Pedda Amberpet and Bonguloor toll plazas. A passenger and a gardener engaged in tending to the median foliage were killed last year when a speeding car crashed into the HMDA water tanker.
In order to prevent such incidents, Chief Minister A.Revanth Reddy has directed HMDA officials to eliminate the need for water tankers in maintenance of the greenery. Rohith Gopidi, who has taken over as director, Urban Forestry of HMDA, said options are being explored to add additional drip irrigation lines on the median, to extend coverage. “Initially, there were only three lines of plants, for which drips were provided. Later, two more lines were added, and to provide water to them, tankers were being deployed,” Mr.Gopidi said, addressing the media on Wednesday.
Maintenance of greenery on the ORR is not included in the concessionaire agreement, due to which HMDA is laden with the responsibility. Close to one lakh litres of water is pumped out from the bore-wells every day, to fill the 93 sumps along the 158 kilometre road, from where drip irrigation is provided through HDPE pipelines. An agreement is on the anvil with a reputed soft drink company, for utilisation of its treated waste water for the maintenance of greenery on ORR. Gopidi, who is also the Officer on Special Duty for HMDA’s Buddha Purnima Project, shared the government’s plans to revamp all the parks around the Hussainsagar in order to enhance the tourism potential.
As part of the Tank Bund Master Plan, the Sanjeevaiah Park with its rose garden, a dedicated section for a wide array of cactii and succulents, will be converted into a learning centre for children. Speaking of the mass afforestation programme, he said the target is to plant 4.5 crore saplings this year.
The BriefWire