Hyderabad: The medians that used to showcase lush greenery and add beauty to the city’s landscape are now a sorry sight as the contractors have stopped watering the plants after the GHMC failed to clear their outstanding dues.
Many plants, especially along the major corridors in the west zone like Jubilee Hills and Gachibowli, have already dried up and the remaining ones are struggling to survive well before the summer.
“In the Serilingampally and Khairatabad zones alone, the GHMC has had to pay Rs 12 crore and Rs 19 crore respectively since June last year to maintain the greenery. As a result, the entire zone is dependent on one water tanker instead of the required 20,” says Purushotham Reddy of the contractors association.
Environmentalists warn that the loss of these plants will not only affect the city’s aesthetics but also air quality, as these medians play a crucial role in reducing urban heat islands and filtering vehicular pollution. They stress that rebuilding the green cover will take considerable time and resources and that the current neglect could undo much of the effort to improve the city’s green infrastructure.
When contacted, the offices of the Urban Biodiversity Wing of the GHMC did not respond.
