Hyderabad: Nearly five months after unveiling the Hyderabad Industrial Land Transformation Policy (HILTP), Telangana govt has begun moving ahead with plans to relocate industries located within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to around 60 existing and new industrial parks outside the city. The move is aimed at accelerating the implementation of the policy and easing the growing pressure of urbanisation in Hyderabad.According to officials, around 2,800 industries currently operate within the ORR, including nearly 1,700 polluting units. The state govt believes shifting these industries — particularly those in the red category — is essential to take forward the HILTP and reduce environmental stress within the city. Although the state cabinet approved the policy nearly five months ago, the industries department is yet to issue detailed guidelines for its implementation. Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC), the nodal agency responsible for executing the plan, is awaiting the govt’s formal clearance to proceed. The policy has also triggered criticism from several political parties over a govt order converting about 9,300 acres of industrial land into mixed-use zones, while some industrialists have expressed concerns over the relocation plan. Pharma units to move to Future CityMeanwhile, the govt has identified some locations outside the ORR where industries could be shifted. Around 500 pharmaceutical companies are proposed to be allotted land in the upcoming Pharma City in Future City, while other industries will be relocated to different industrial clusters around Hyderabad. For instance, steel units in Jeedimetla and Katedan are proposed to be moved to Rakamcherla in Vikarabad, oil industries to Buchinelly industrial park near Zaheerabad, and textile units to Indresham village near Sangareddy. “Before shifting them outside the ORR, the state govt would ensure all the infrastructure facilities are provided in the industrial parks. Only then would the industrialists come forward to shift. The govt is also planning to hold a meeting with industrialists once the facilities are done. After the infrastructure facilities are provided, the industries will be given three to six months’ time to shift,” a senior official of the industries department said.Officials say the relocation has become necessary as Hyderabad’s rapid urban expansion has turned many traditional industrial zones into dense residential areas. “Once industrial parks such as Balanagar, Katedan, and Kukatpally within the ORR are surrounded by residential colonies, many industries in these areas become economically unviable due to outdated technologies and the compliance burdens of operating in dense urban environments,” an official of TGIIC said.
