Hyderabad will require at least two more airports in the near future as the city's population is expected to touch three crore with the development of the Information Technology Investment Region, according to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
"Hyderabad's population in 2014 is 94 lakh. We are soon to develop a Rs 2.30 lakh crore ITIR that will create two more Hyderabads and the population will shoot up to three crore. So, we will require at least two more airports to the east and north of the city to cater to the additional population," Rao said.
He was addressing a workshop 'Re-inventing Telangana' at the Marri Channa Reddy Human Resources Development Institute here today.
He said satellite towns would have to be developed in a 100-km radius of Hyderabad.
"We have to de-congest Hyderabad. We need a rapid rail system to connect the satellite towns and bring people to Hyderabad, say in 21 minutes. We also have to develop Metro Rail on similar lines," he said.
An additional Outer Ring Road 100-km away from the existing ORR also should be developed. All industrial development should be away from the ORR, he said.
KCR said his government would soon come out with a new industrial and land (allotment) policy to promote industrial growth not only in Hyderabad but also other regions of the new state.
"As much as 35 lakh acres of vacant land is available with the government. Of this 2.20 lakh acres is in place for immediate use of industries in all the districts of Telangana. In my constituency Gajwel, which is just about 50 kms away from Hyderabad, 24,000 acres of land is available for industrial development. In neighbouring Ranga Reddy district also about 30,000 acres is readily available," Rao said.
"We have to accordingly plan industrial development. We should promote industries in all districts with new innovations," he added.
The Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh was "no competition at all" to Telangana in any sector.
"We are in the bracket of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. AP is no competition at all," he remarked.
