Industries to Move Beyond ORR as City Targets Pollution-Free Future

In a significant policy shift aimed at reshaping the city's future, the Telangana Government has announced that industries operating within Hyderabad's Outer Ring Road (ORR) will be gradually relocated to designated manufacturing zones beyond the city's core. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said the move is part of a long-term strategy to transform Hyderabad into a pollution-free, sustainable and globally competitive metropolis , while supporting industrial expansion in planned economic corridors.

The announcement was made during the inauguration of Premier Energies' 5.6 GW solar module manufacturing facility at Seetharampur in Rangareddy district . Accompanied by Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu , the Chief Minister toured the advanced manufacturing unit and reviewed innovative clean-energy solutions, including solar oxygen trees , solar-powered streetlights , and air purification systems .

Addressing the gathering, Revanth Reddy said the nearly 2,100-square-kilometre ORR core urban region , home to around 13.5 million people , would be developed through planned urbanisation with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability. Learning from the experiences of major metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai , which are grappling with pollution, traffic congestion and unplanned growth, Telangana aims to ensure Hyderabad avoids similar challenges.

The Chief Minister said pollution from industrial clusters such as Jeedimetla and Balanagar , along with contamination of the Musi River , has underscored the need for a new development model. Industries will therefore be shifted in phases to the Peri-Urban Economy Manufacturing Zone outside the ORR, where the government will provide land, infrastructure and faster clearances to facilitate expansion while improving environmental quality within the city.

The initiative aligns with the government's "Telangana Rising-2047" vision, which proposes a balanced development model by creating separate urban, peri-urban and rural economic zones. It also complements Telangana's broader goal of making Hyderabad a Net Zero city by 2034 through clean energy, sustainable mobility, river restoration and green infrastructure.

Calling Premier Energies the first major industry to establish operations in the new manufacturing zone, Revanth Reddy said the company had set an example by completing its state-of-the-art facility within just 12 months . He expressed confidence that such investments would strengthen Telangana's position as a leading hub for renewable energy manufacturing while contributing to India's clean energy ambitions.

The Chief Minister also urged young people to embrace opportunities in advanced manufacturing and skilled industrial jobs , noting that the government is strengthening ITIs, polytechnic colleges and the Young India Skills University to create an industry-ready workforce. Stressing that technology alone cannot solve environmental challenges, he called for greater public participation alongside government initiatives to build a cleaner and more sustainable Hyderabad.