Gurgaon plans to build four 140-storey towers
Quote:
Dipak Kumar Dash
[ 20 Nov, 2006 0048hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
GURGAON: You may think it's a tall story. But if Haryana government plans fall in place, the Millennium City will soon enter the skyscraper map of the world. In fact, right on top of the heap.
By 2010, the state government hopes to complete a world class Golden Triangle City Centre (GTCC) in Sector 29 with as many as four tallest buildings in the world.
Each of the proposed skyscrapers will be of 140 floors, taller than Taipei 101 which currently is the highest manmade structure on the planet.
Haryana's director, town and country planning (DTCP), has approached the Airport Authority of India for their clearance to the project.
Speaking to TOI, financial commissioner and principal secretary of DTCP, Shakuntala Jakhu, said: "We have already submitted the plan and design to AAI and are hoping to get the green signal soon."
The City Centre is to be developed as Gurgaon's prime commercial hub. It will have gardens, hospitality complex, office space and IT parks.
An integrated transport system, with Metro and light rail transit links, will connect the centre to Delhi and elsewhere.
But experts have added a note of caution. Gurgaon falls under Seismic Zone IV and any tall structure which doesn't factor in the earthquake hazard, could be inviting a huge risk.
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For the uninitiated,
Gurgaon (click for more info) (pop. 1.5 - 2 million people) is one of the four major fully planned satellite cities of India's
National Capital region (i.e. Greater Delhi: including Delhi, New Delhi and the satellite cities of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and NOIDA.) All of these satellite cities are being developed as a planned economic nodes for NCR, complete with world-class infrastructure.
It should be noted that
Noida also has a WTB proposal of 160 stories as the crown of its planned skyscraper-laden city center, due to be up by 2013 if all goes well. However, Noida's proposal is jammed up in city bureaucracy. It remains to be seen if it will get approved, even though city governing are in favor of it.
It would be very interesting for both Noida and Gurgaon to develop CBDs featuring skyscrapers. With both cities aiming to be the commercial/industrial nodes of NCR, they are already incredibly competative. Once they get into an equally competative skyscraper building spree, I'd love to see what becomes of it. Surely G'gaon announcing formal plans for the WTB would spur Noida to do a counter, or at least light a fire under those concered with approving the Noida Tower.
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So will these get built? Who knows... there is a huge demand for commercial, residential and retail space in NCR which is no where near being met. The fact that both the state government and the city are in favor of it gives this project a
big boost in the arm. That it has so much political backing makes it have a
much better chance of seeing the light of day (and is at a further along stage!) than the Noida Tower, which encoutered opposition at even the city level.
I for one hope for it, though I'd put it at 'probable' for certain once the first major hurdle (Airport Authority of India clearance) is passed, hopefully soon.
-Jai
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