The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : GHMC engineering wing feels the squeeze

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 06, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

GHMC engineering wing feels the squeeze

Department struggling to execute new works

5,019 works costing up to Rs. 146 crore taken up
Another 4,324 works costing Rs. 300 crore in the pipeline

HYDERABAD: After the town planning wing, the engineering wing of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is a favourite punching bag and is now feeling the squeeze after formation of the gigantic civic body.

It is struggling not only to continue routine maintenance works but also cope with the new demands that have come up ever since surrounding municipalities were joined. For instance, the wing has more than 11,000 works – mostly roads, from big to small, which it has to take care and costing up to Rs. 640 crore. Chief Engineer Dhan Singh claims that about 5,019 works were taken up all over the twin cities costing up to Rs. 146 crore in the last few months. Works pertaining to Rs. 190 crore were in various stages of progress while 4,324 works estimated to cost Rs. 300 crore were yet to be taken up.

Considering the enormity of the task and sheer geographical stretch it has to cover with the formation of GHMC, the wing is quite aware that it would be next to impossible to monitor each and every work that is taken up, whether for supervision or quality checks.

Adding to the problem is the fact that the range of works can start from few hundred rupees to Rs. 50 lakh and more.

The GHMC Commissioner and Special Officer, C.V.S.K. Sarma too is aware of the complexity of the task and said to be exasperated when a group landed up when he wanted to enquire into the condition of a particular stretch of road.

Dr. Sarma had asked the engineering wing to come out with a proposal where it can increase the tender sizes so such an extent that large swaths of work can be entrusted to one big contractor. This could also lead to opposition from the 1,400 small contractors empanelled to it. And for any effective work to happen the number of engineers has to be increased. Of the 140 engineers only 40 belong to erstwhile MCH while the rest are on deputation and 59 got transferred due to 610 GO effect.

“We need at least 350 engineers just for regular works,” says Mr. Singh.

A notable development of late is the posting of another Chief Engineer Panduranga Rao who has been made in charge of projects.

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Andhra Pradesh