TOWARDS GREATER HYDERABAD: An employee of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation does a make over with new stickers proclaiming Greater Hyderabad at Banjara Hills on Tuesday. — PHOTO: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: He might have endured a few days of uncertainty but it is now clear that erstwhile MCH Commissioner and re-designated Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Additional Commissioner to Special Commissioner, Sanjay Jaju, has become the most powerful civic official for entire capital region.

Even if the post of Special Commissioner is causing confusion since the MCH Act is yet to be amended, it has been a windfall for him since his jurisdiction has now increased from 170 sq.km to 650 sq.km., including all the adjoining municipalities.

Powers

As per the official delegation of powers which had come into force and decided by the top bosses, not only all "routine service matters" and files will be routed through him but he will also be exercising powers of the Commissioner for the "day-to-day, routine management and coordinating activities of field functionaries".

Mr. Jaju will also be effectively in charge of the crucial town planning cell as he will be heading the building committee which gives permissions beyond ground plus two and up to five floors.

He will also release plans after counter signature of GHMC Commissioner and Special Officer C.V.S.K. Sarma.

For multi-storied buildings permissions of more than five floors, there is a separate technical building committee with final plans to be released by Special Commissioner and from him to Commissioner for final approval.

Zonal Commissioners will continue to give permissions for ground plus two floors.

Mr. Jaju will have powers to sanction works and expenditure up to Rs. 20 lakhs in the entire GHMC area while sanctions above Rs. 20 lakhs and up to Rs. 50 lakhs will be submitted to the standing committee presided over by Mr. Sarma.

Additional Commissioners in the head office like those looking after Planning and Projects, Works, Health & Sanitation, and Zonal Commissioners are now empowered to accord administrative sanction to works up to Rs. 5 lakhs to a ceiling of Rs. 1 crore.

All other Additional Commissioners will have a ceiling of Rs. 25 lakhs.

The Special Commissioner's new powers cut across administrative, works, finance, health and sanitation, urban community development, sports, advertisements,

traffic and transportation wings since the existing delegations of powers and functions made to additional commissioners will continue under his overall supervision.

He can also lease GHMC properties of all categories up to one year and "all other routine matters of employees of GHMC as was exercised as MCH Commissioner."

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