The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Solution lies in `Integrated Contract Management'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 05, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Solution lies in `Integrated Contract Management'

With heavy showers having lashed City roads, the municipal administration appears to have woken up to doing patch work in Padmarao Nagar, Hyderabad. Photo D.Gopalakrishnan 02/07/06.

The solution to the civic problems we face in the twin cities lies in `Integrated Contract Management' that combines design, construction and maintenance of roadways, associated rain water drains, utility lines, street lighting, pavement markings and sign boards into a single contract.

Since construction and maintenance are packaged into one, it is in the interest of the contractor to maintain highest quality standards so as to save on the maintenance costs. The catch though is that, in order to implement such a process it will be necessary to restructure the Municipal bodies and create a Unified Metropolitan Transportation Authority (UMTA) governed by a team of technical experts.

In fact, formation of UMTA has been first proposed in Hyderabad Area Transportation Study (HATS) in 1988 and since been reiterated numerous times including the `Action Plan' submitted by the State Government to the Andhra Pradesh High Court in December 2005 in connection with a PIL.

Since formation of UMTA will result in transfer of decision-making power to technical experts from the bureaucrats, the officials in the MCH, HUDA and Government have always put it on the back-burner. The unfortunate thing in the whole episode is that we have not learnt our lessons yet and probably the same mistakes will be carried over into the future as Hyderabad is now in the process of constructing a new Outer Ring Road.

Prashanth Kumar Bachu

Vishwashanthi Consultancy Services.

Ordeal for commuters

The road from Sainikpuri X Roads via Defence Management College and Rastrapathi Nilayam to Lothukunta is horrible to say the least. It is more or less a kutcha road generally found in villages and ever flowing drainage water and trenches dug for water connections across the road, add to misery.

Another glaring example is the famous Rajiv Rahadari built with the assistance of Asian Development Bank. A small drizzle will create temporary lakes at Lothkunta and Karkhana areas which will remain so for several days after rain ceases. Heavy vehicles and cars speed away splashing the muddy waters on hapless pedestrians, cyclists and scooterists.

Large crater-size potholes at Lalbazar X Roads and RTA office, trenches across the road in Lalbazar, a perpetual drainage pool at Trimulgherry post office, potholes at Trimulgherry X Roads and Karkhana, all make the journey on this road a nightmarish experience.

I wish the authorities will wake up from deep slumber and do something to mitigate the ordeal of commuters.

M.V.H. Rao, Alwal.

Nudge MCH to do the job

The only solution to the problem is let the traffic police identify the areas where the vehicles are going slow or where the roads are damaged, inform the MCH and get them repaired, rather than waiting for the MCH to act on its own.

Ravinder

Government apathy

This is a desperate plea for help from a Tarnaka resident where the roads have been reduced to mud poodles. It is appalling that we tax payers have to suffer this kind of apathy from the powers that be over such basic requirements as good roads. The ruralisation of urban Secunderabad is complete, thanks to this Government which is so completely unconcerned about the plight of its citizens. I have been complaining repeatedly and have sent frequent emails to the MCH officials but sadly they could not care less.

The roads in and around St. Ann's school in Tarnaka are so terrible that several times two-wheelers, autos and cars have nearly turned over trying to find a motorable path. There is not a single road that has not been dug up, leaving piles of mud and rubbish on the sides. There have been cases of little children and senior citizens falling , just trying to make their way home.

Latha Nair,

Tarnaka.