Singapore-based Surbana Jurong, one of Asia’s largest consultancy companies, has been tasked with assignment.
Hyderabad: The detailed master plan and infrastructure assessment for phase I of the Hyderabad’s Pharma City project will be ready within a fortnight.
The Singapore-based Surbana Jurong, one of Asia’s largest consultancy companies, tasked with the assignment, will be ready with the final draft of the master plan by January 25.
So will be the case with the infrastructure design too. It is being processed under a time-bound programme, according to a senior official in the Industries Department.
The State government which is firm on completing the first phase of the mega project at any cost by 2018 has put the land acquisition process on the fast track.
The Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) has identified 18,782.20 acres of land in Rangareddy district and some 5,646.32 acres have already been acquired.
Drone technology for survey
The photogrammetric survey of the entire land parcel was completed using drone technology. The master plan, covering 18,000 acres, is now ready with the TSIIC.
The corporation has focused on the infrastructure development, including external linkages such as power, water, road and rail connectivity. The essential external linkage tie-ups would be finalised by the end of this month.
Moves are afoot to acquire about 2,600 acres of land additionally for phase one of the Pharma City to make increased plot area available for the manufacturing zone.
The government has taken a decision to complete the land acquisition process, to a major extent, by April next, prior to the public hearing on the project.
Environment Impact assessment
The Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study of the project taken up by the Environmental Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI) on December 16 last year has gained momentum. The study would be completed by the end of April. Addressing environmental concerns, the State government has planned the Pharma City project with zero-liquid discharge facilities.
The Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) proposed as part of the project is expected to cost Rs 2,500 crore on Build-own-operate (BOO) model. A financial assistance of Rs 1,500 crore was sought from the Department of Pharma, Government of India.
The Hudco has already sanctioned Rs 740 crores for land acquisition (Rs 550 crore for Pharma City and Rs 190 crores for the National Investment Manufacturing Zone coming up in Medak. So far, Rs 350 crore of the Hudco assistance was already utilised by both the projects.
The techno-economic feasibility report as well as the final application to the Department of Industrial Policy and promotion for the approval of the Centre would also be completed by the end of January.
Preparation of application form, land allotment guidelines, building guidelines are also simultaneously in progress.
The Pharma City, which is a dream project of the government, would emerge as the country’s largest bulk drug manufacturing hub. With proposals for setting up formulation centres, research units and a pharma university taking their final shape, the pharma zone is abuzz with activity.
The Rs 75,000 crore Pharma project will be housing many national and multi-national pharmaceutical companies and life science related companies holding out hope for lakh of jobless youth in the State.