The Husnabad Urban Forest Park is taking shape across 80 acres of hillocks in Telangana’s Akunur forest block, with the forest department developing walking, recreation and nature-based facilities at a cost of Rs 3 crore.
The park is being developed near Jillellagadda, alongside the Siddipet-Hanamkonda National Highway (NH 365B), around 4 km from Husnabad town. The project is intended to provide residents with a dedicated public space for leisure, exercise and access to a forest setting.
Although the wider forest covers around 3,000 acres, the park is confined to one portion of the forest block. Facilities under development include an entrance, walking track, three gazebos, a lotus pond, yoga centre, trekking route, butterfly garden, raasi vanam, amphitheatre, benches, drinking water facilities, toilets and a nursery.
A children’s play area with swings and slides is also being built. The gazebos, yoga centre and a watchtower on the hillocks are expected to be among the park’s main attractions. Officials said the watchtower is being built on a hill at a height of 1.5 km, from where visitors will be able to view surrounding areas, including Husnabad and Mulkanoor.
A 3-km trekking route is being developed from the yoga centre to Bayyannagudi and Khila, areas associated with Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud’s rule. The route will connect the recreational facilities with nearby historical locations while remaining within the forest landscape.
Husnabad forest range officer Ch. Siddarth Reddy said the park was being developed without disturbing the natural structure of the forest. Around 8,000 plants of different varieties have been planted at the foothills to increase greenery, he said. A butterfly garden, raasi vanam, karthika vanam and nakshatra vanam are also planned.
Forest section officer Md Sajid Pasha said chain-link fencing was being installed along the roadside to prevent animals and cattle from entering the park area. The fencing is being added along the highway-facing stretch, where movement between the road and forest could affect both visitors and animals.
The initiative follows the involvement of local MLA and transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar. The forest department plans to complete the remaining works and inaugurate the park in January next year. Until then, the site remains under development and the listed facilities are not yet open for public use.
