Government's Mission Hyderabad

We keep hearing about making Hyderabad a ‘Global City’ and the need for revamping its brand (which of late has slipped) as a Global City. For this the Government and HMDA want to rope in international consultants. The RFP released by HMDA lists among other things, Preparation of a Vision document for Hyderabad as a Global city- and lists among the Team requirements an urban planner with 15 years of experience in Master Planning, etc.

So, it is going to be another Planning exercise. Another Master plan would be prepared (a case of old wine in new bottle) another few Crores of Rupees of HMDA would go down the dry bed of our Musi; these will be discussed in various fora, good, good, good! and later forgotten - Business as usual (like what HMDA has been doing since it’s inception in 2008). NO! we do not want another Consultant telling us what planning is! HMDA already has 2 in-house planning Consultants advising HMDA since past 5 years.

First of all, do we need a Urban planner to tell us how to make Hyderabad a ‘Global City’. Where were they when Cyberabad burst into the scene in the late 2000s? Then they had got it all wrong in the Cyberabad Master Plan (again a Planning Consultant of international repute had prepared the so-called Master Plan-which frankly does not have neither a ‘Master” or a ‘Plan’ in it!) Whatever is Hyderabad today, thanks to its crossing the ‘Rubicon’ by way of Information Technology destination, spearheaded by the then Chief Minister, Sri Chandra Babu Naidu, who realized the potential of IT and channelized it in Cyberabad, and all this was not done by HUDA but APIIC!

So what Vision or Master Plan are we talking about? The so-called Metropolitan Development Plan prepared by HMDA in 2012 through the same Consultant Team, which cannot pass the legal scrutiny (and can be struck down if challenged in the Court of law) is bereft of any Vision or economic development strategies and is not in accordance to the HMDA Act provisions? The HMDA Act mandates HMDA and Government to prepare and notify the Metropolitan Investment Plan- which has not even been attempted by HMDA so far. (I am sure even HMDA or the 2 in-house consultants know about this!). Then what Vision for Hyderabad would one expect HMDA to undertake now? Another swat of land use which the 2 consultants and all planning staff of HMDA are dabbling with?

Another Master Plan (8th one in fact for Hyderabad and its surroundings- not to count the various Zonal development Plans-about 21 prepared and notified by HUDA) prepared by HMDA through the new found international consultant will again sink without a trace (like the City Development Plan of GHMC (does anybody remember it ?)

So does the above call for inputs from urban planners and the 2 Planning Consultants of HMDA ? Do they know anything about urban economics ? What Hyderabad wants and with our Chief minister at the helm of affairs (remember, in an irony of sorts, both the Urban development ministry portfolio as well Chairman of HMDA are with the Chief Minister), what is needed is a Team of urban economic advisors; real guys experienced in development, opening up new areas, rejuvenating the existing areas, really advising about the infrastructure investments; real guys advising about commutation and transportation facilities aspects; real guys tackling the behemoth called unauthorized constructions (remember as per a guesstimate more than 96% of Hyderabad’s 18 lakh odd buildings are unauthorized! All the above call for cleaning up Hyderabad’s ‘Augean stables’ to revive brand Hyderabad. Not by undertaking another set of Master Plan (what will happen, we know: the existing urban planners of Hyderabad will realign and team up with the International Consultant, giving the excuse: we got to factor in the existing Master Plans, you see… for which there are no better persons than the 2 in-house consultants and a host of ‘also ran’ urban planners)

I am sounding pessimistic, but the stark reality is that Hyderabad has lost its competitive edge, lost its propensity to attract global players, global economic powerhouses and the like to make it as an emerging Global city. Chennai and Bangalore are reinventing, making their areas as attractive ones for luring major economic investments. Compared to them Hyderabad stands as a poor cousin (with it’s ‘chalta hai’ attitude) and ‘B Grade’ investments. Thanks to the political mindset, it is driving away whatever homespun entrepreneurship and skilled labour pool Hyderabad was having. The danger is, while Hyderabad would continue to be urbs prime of the region, it will be filled in with population and economic activities that influence only the region- not the national level or international level kind. Overcome these first and then think of making Hyderabad a Global city.

In fact in whole of India, only Mumbai qualifies as a Global City. Others like Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore are only emerging and may reach this post only in the next 50 years.

First let Hyderabad make a competitive place and destination for garnering away investments and businesses from Chennai and Bangalore! Then let us think of competing with other players across the country and Asia!

It is always good to dream. Hyderabad as a Global City is but a dream. But dreams need to be turned into reality. Otherwise, like Rip van Winkle, Hyderabad would suddenly wake up in 2031 to find itself slipping down in Global competitive index to 200th position!