HYDERABAD: Greater Hyderabad is perhaps an idea of which time has come. In a way, the Government has given an administrative shape to what was already in citizens' minds since anyone entering from Kukatpally or L.B.Nagar side, harboured doubts if it was Hyderabad they were getting into.

It is only after getting into the hitherto core area of Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad is the difference quite striking with regard to underground sewerage, drinking water supply, roads, flyovers, service delivery systems and the likes.

This is in comparison only to the situation prevailing in the neighbouring municipalities where the growth has been rapid -- building construction and population wise, but local municipal administrations have been unable to cope not just because they lacked adequate funds.

Airport

The information technology boom and new airport saw the growth envelop nearby villages too, but without basic civic infrastructure in place. Lack of proper road widths and an underground sewerage system in the swanky hi-tec city region is a classic case of the cart before the horse.

"Urban infrastructure has been a neglected area for long. With Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), we can have integrated planning for the entire capital region to contain the haphazard growth with proper regulatory systems in place," says a senior planning official. Fact is underground sewerage network is incomplete outside erstwhile MCH area and within it also, road widening has been restricted to core area and flyovers too, more un-assessed and under-assessed properties in municipalities, etc.

"MCH cannot be considered as a benchmark but there is a modicum of delivery systems in place. GHMC should be a financially self-sufficient by giving them a share in various taxes going straight into Central and State Governments kitty," officials say.

"Raising funds by collecting property tax is currently the only route, yet there is also a limit to it. We should also think of alternative and innovative methods like having a vacant land tax," says an official.

Overall strategising at the head office with proper delegation or decentralisation of powers till the zonal level and careful selection of territorial officers is necessary for GHMC, argues an official.

It should not be like in MCH, where zonal commissioners could only oversee work and hardly had any financial powers.

Metro rail

GHMC notification also solved certain hassles for metro rail as some destinations fall outside MCH area on to the districts and railways would have had to be involved if it was outside a local body.

"Cities are engines of growth in the post-industrial era and whether we like it or not urbanisation has come here to stay. Growth is inevitable as is evident and this can be converted into an opportunity. Since Hyderabad has no physical boundaries there can be a judicious mix of vertical and spatial growth," avers another official.

Urban planners point out that talented individuals are attracted to liveable cities and investments will flow if there is focus on water supply, sewerage, traffic & transport corridors, roads, protection of water bodies, provision for green spaces and slums improvement.

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