Hyderabad spins tallest storey

Hyderabad will have another landmark in the proposed business district on the outskirts of the city. It will be either a single 60-storey trade tower, the first to reach such heights in India, or more than two towers of 30 to 40 floors each.The Andhra Pradesh government had initially planned twin towers on the lines of the World Trade Centre, but dropped the plan in view of the tragic overtones associated with such a design,"We are studying proposals for having either a 60-storey tower or more than two towers, each with 30 to 40 floors," AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation managing director B.P. Acharya told this correspondent.The towers, to be located at Manchirevula village, will cater to the IT industry, other business areas and even the stock market, he said.The government had first thought of constructing the trade towers three years ago when a group of non-resident Indians from Australia proposed the project. At that time, the business district was to be located on the premises of the old Gandhi Hospital near Secunderabad railway station. The government finally selected Manchirevula because of its proximity to the international airport at Shamshabad and the Outer Ring Road passing by the village.The government has issued orders (G.O. Ms No. 269) handing over the project to the APIIC. The Ranga Reddy district authorities have already handed over 100 acres of land in surveys number 283 and 311 to the corporation to prepare the groundwork.The corporation has appointed Bangalore-based Venkataramana Associates and a Malaysian firm to work out the business district concept. They have been asked to prepare different modules of which one would be selected.Mr Acharya said the architects are expected to come out with the concept and master plan within two months. In the meantime, the corporation will lay approach roads to the site. Though the project is to be located beside the Outer Ring Road, it will take three years to come up.Once the design is complete, the corporation will select a developer to build the business district.