The office model of Future City Development Authority (FCDA)
Hyderabad: The Chennai bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has refused to grant an interim stay on the construction of the Telangana government’s ambitious Bharat Future City project.
The tribunal, however, issued notices to the Future City Development Authority (FCDA) and the Central Government, seeking their responses.
The petition was filed by social activist Donthi Narasimha Reddy, who challenged the project—also referred to as “Fourth City”—on the grounds that it was being undertaken without mandatory environmental clearances.
The petitioner’s counsel argued that the government plans to develop the project across nearly 30,000 acres between the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar highways. The project includes residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational zones.
He further contended that, as per central environmental regulations, such large-scale projects cannot proceed without prior environmental approvals. It was also alleged that the FCDA had begun inviting tenders without obtaining the required permissions, and interim orders were sought to halt the works.
Representing the FCDA, additional advocate general Tera Rajanikanth Reddy argued that the petition was premature. He stated that the project is currently in a preliminary stage and no development activities have been initiated.
He assured the tribunal that all necessary environmental clearances would be obtained as per legal requirements before commencing any construction work.
After hearing both sides, the tribunal noted the assurance given by the state government that no work would proceed without the required permissions. In view of this, it held that there was no need to grant interim stay orders at this stage.
The NGT directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the FCDA to file detailed counter-affidavits addressing the issues raised in the petition.
The matter has been adjourned to June 9, 2026, for further hearing.
In the recent Telangana Budget speech, Finance minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu announced the development of a 30,000-acre “Bharat Future City” in the Hyderabad region as part of long-term urban expansion plans.
He said the project will include radial road connectivity, a greenfield national highway linking the city to Machilipatnam port, underground electricity systems and environmentally sustainable infrastructure.
A Skill University will also be established within the project area to develop a workforce aligned with international standards.
This post was last modified on April 8, 2026 7:30 am