High-rises changing Hyderabad skyline

Hyderabad: High and higher is how Hyderabad’s real estate is growing, if the number of high-rises that are coming up in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits is any indication.This trend, which is continuing even when there is no shortage of land, has seen 83 high-rise structures being granted building permissions in the 2020-2021 financial year. The approved projects include 13 skyscrapers with over 30 floors, proving that Hyderabad continues to be a top destination for builders aiming for the sky.

Among the 13 skyscrapers, five are commercial projects and eight are residential projects. Meanwhile, this financial year, the GHMC has also approved the construction of a 41-storied building in Khanamet. This project, Kohinoor by Aurobindo Realty by Aurobindo Realty & Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, comprises seven towers. Kohinoor is said to be the second-largest building in the GHMC limits with the first one supposedly being The Olympus, a 44-storey residential project in Nanakramguda by the Sumadhura Group in collaboration with Vasavi Group.

However, when the entire Hyderabad region is considered, the tallest tower is SAS Crown in Kokapet, which goes 57 levels into the sky. This project is the tallest in the State and falls under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority jurisdiction.

A Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD) official said that high-rise buildings ranging from 45 floors to 55 floors were denied permission in the GHMC limits. “Traffic assessment is our utmost priority following which permissions for some projects have been put on hold,” he said.

According to a recent report by Anarock, Hyderabad has witnessed the highest increase in high-rises share in new launches among Southern cities with almost 41 per cent growth in 2021. Two malls with multiplexes in them were also approved by the GHMC in 2020-21.

GHMC officials attributed the massive growth of the city to State government policies and their implementation under the guidance of MA&UD Minister KT Rama Rao. Mammoth infrastructure development in different parts of the city, maintenance of law & order and introduction of the Telangana State Building Permission Approval and Self-Certification System (TS-bPASS ) are also attracting new commercial and residential projects to Hyderabad, he said.