HYDERABAD: From less than 22,000 hectares in 1990 the urban extent of Hyderabad, over the next two-and-half decades, spiraled to over 72,000 hectares, shows an international multi-phased research -atlas for urban expansion. Its current spread, according to the same study , is higher than most Indian cities.But while this rapid growth is indicative of Hyderabad's phenomenal success in attracting more business houses and talented human resource to its shores, it also speaks of the doom that the rising value of real estate ­ an offshoot of the same development story ­has spelt for the city's open spaces.If the earlier settlements, particularly centered around the twin city of Secunderabad, have lost many of their local parks and green pathways, the modern IT corridor has raised its concrete head at the cost of vast agricultural stretches. In fact, multiple studies point to a steep 50 per cent or more drop in the rain-fed agricultural expanse of the city, by the turn of the new millennium, especially in hi-tech Hyderabad.“Even till the late 1970s, the area from Banjara Hills onwards -towards the western corridor -was nothing but barren land. I recollect being offered land on Road No 12 for Rs 3 a square yard. I refused because I thought it was back of the beyond. Now, the land values run into crores,“ said Capt (retd) J Rama Rao, who has been championing the green cause for years.On the other side too, right from Begumpet to Sanikpuri, the land values have tripled over time. Rough estimates suggest that land available for Rs 30,000 (approx) per square yard in pockets such as Marredpally , even until 10 years ago, are now valued at Rs 60,000 per square yard.“Every piece of open space is now being eyed as prime property. The government is equally responsible. It is going after whatever little lung space the city has to construct offices or infrastructure projects ­ under the garb of serving the people,“ complained a green activist part of the ' Save KBR ' movement questioning the state's move to lease out a portion abutting the national park for a multi-core realty project.The land for the project was auctioned for a jaw-dropping Rs 335 crore in 2006.But even as common citizens point fingers at developers, members of this community insist that a majority of them abide by the 10 per cent open space rule. “In fact, 25 per cent of our land is kept under mortgage with the civic body, which releases it only after it physically examines the layout and ensures that this norm (among other rules) has been honoured,“ said Ashwin Rao, director, Manbhum Constructions adding how the open space, road area is handed over to the government body by developers through a 'gift deed', to procure the occupancy certificate.