Rejuvenation of public open spaces through meaningful Urban Design MOU between Govt of Telangana MAUD & Hyderabad Urban Lab Foundation
Hyderabad(April 16) : Almost all localities including slums have open spaces, varying from few hundred yards to about an acre. They are often neglected, used to dump garbage/C&D and over a period of time turn into a place which is used for consumption of alcohol or illegal activities. Left unattended, they often turn dangerous from safety viewpoint esp for women and children.
It is strongly felt that MAUD dept. along with revenue dept. and GHMC can identify and inventories all such land parcels and should over a period of time develop them into meaningful public activities such as libraries, play areas, social gathering place, a point for economic convergence. The effective use of urban designing and architecture can set the plan for development for such sites, in consultation with local stake holders so that ownership is there and once the plan the made ready, MAUD dept. and GHMC can actually implement those plans for effective utilization and meaningful rejuvenation of such places.
Jaime Lerner as coined a term “urban acupuncture” to describe such interventions which can “heal, improve and create positive chain reaction”. Examples include making the place safe for women and children, efficient public toilets, rejuvenated local markets, clearing garbage & C&D dumps and reclaiming such lands.
The Hyderabad Urban Lab Foundation, lead by Anant Maringanti, has come forward to promote well thought out design solutions for urban infrastructure and aesthetic deficits in Hyderabad, by working in neighborhoods in an urban acupuncture mode.
They made a detailed presentation to Minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Dev K T Rama Rao on April 15th. Special Chief Secretary MAUD Arvind Kumar, Commissioner GHMC Lokesh and all Zonal Commissioners were present. It was decided that such an intervention will be monitored by ZCs.
Accordingly the Department of Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD), Government of Telangana, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hyderabad Urban Lab Foundation (HUL) to promote sustainable models, tools, and best practices for low-cost urban innovation and sustainable urbanization in the presence of Minister KT Rama Rao.
HUL shall work in partnership with the Local stakeholders, private organizations, Architecture students and colleges, non-profit and philanthropic sectors.
This initiative aims to promote well-thought-out design solutions for the informal settlements like Slums, abandoned and open places, stepped spaces and places where we see rapid urbanization. Through this initiative, these spaces will be converted into vibrant living (playgrounds, Library, etc..) spaces using “Urban Acupuncture”. All this will be taken up using low-cost intervention techniques.
Citizens are requested to send the list of such open spaces (Twitter @TSmaudonline or @ghmconline or contact local Dy Commissioner / Zonal Commissioner of GHMC) which are in their neighborhood and is neglected/misused/likely to get encroached so that all such locations can be developed meaningfully.
