Hyderabad: Former Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Saturday demanded a comprehensive revision of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) Master Plan. He alleged that current zoning laws severely disadvantage small and marginal farmers.
Speaking at a public discussion held at the Hyderabad Press Club, Dattatreya pointed out that nearly 50,000 farmers are unable to construct homes on their land. This is due to restrictive zoning categories like “Conservation,” which ban any development. In contrast, land held by developers falls under Residential or Multi-use zones. These zones enable multi-storey construction.
Dattatreya master plan revision must address zoning inequality
He criticised the 2013 master plan for becoming a burden rather than a tool for planned growth. Following the merger of 20 municipalities and seven municipal corporations into the GHMC, farmers have seen their land use rights further restricted. Additionally, Dattatreya flagged the proposed 100-foot-wide grid road in the growth corridor. He warned that it could displace farmers without fair compensation or alternatives.
“The current system benefits wealthy developers while small farmers are blocked from even building homes,” he said. He urged the state government to revise the plan with a focus on inclusive development and land-use fairness.
The forum was attended by Lok Satta President Jayaprakash Narayan, MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, former MP Boora Narsaiah Goud, Padma Shri awardee Chintala Venkat Reddy, and several farmers. All participants supported the call for zoning reforms that prioritise equitable development.
Dattatreya warned that if the government continued to ignore rural interests, it would widen the socio-economic divide. He called for urgent policy correction to protect both farmer rights and balanced urban growth.