The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Bar on cutting of roads till end of rainy season

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 06, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Bar on cutting of roads till end of rainy season

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will not give any more new permission to either public or private agencies for cutting up roads from now till the end of the rainy season.

GHMC Commissioner C.V.S.K. Sarma said orders to this effect were issued and those private agencies and departments which had taken prior permits for digging had been asked to post men round-the-clock near trenches to prevent mishaps.

Talking to presspersons on Tuesday, he agreed that proper coordination among civic departments was imperative and for this a weekly meeting with departments like Water Works, Roads & Buildings, CPDCL and others had been firmed up.

Immediate focus

This could help avoid instances where the R&B Department continues to give permission for cutting of roads under its jurisdiction when the GHMC puts a ban on them during the monsoon each year.

To face the rain, immediate focus was on removing four to five feet of silt accumulated in the stormwater drains so that excess water can easily flow out into the Musi river and not inundate low lying areas through the backwaters, said Dr. Sarma.

The long-term plan of redesigning major stormwater drains was still on but it needed wider discussions since it concerned removing encroachments. Bringing about more awareness among local leaders and identifying alternate land for rehabilitation were key issues, he said.

Sarma unfazed

Dr. Sarma was unfazed about staff shortage and expressed confidence of increasing efficiency of his personnel by providing them with necessary facilities like vehicles and communication sets, besides going in for outsourcing.

He was also going to have a detailed review meeting with the finance wing next week to plug loopholes in the property tax and other revenue earning systems.

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