GHMC flooded with complaints of encroachment

Hyderabad, Nov 5 (INN): The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has been flooded with complaints of illegal constructions and encroachment on public properties during the Face to Face programme held at the GHMC Headquarters here on Saturday.

Rajeshwar Rao, a resident of Malkajgiri, called up the senior officials in the programme complaining that several illegal structures have come up in his locality.

He sounded like an elderly man and was apparently crying. In his 12-minute long conversation, Rajeshwar Rao said that the GHMC officials have failed to take action on his complaints.

GHMC Mayor Banda Karthika Chandra Reddy, who chaired the programme, assured Rajeshwar Rao that immediate action would be taken on his complaint.

Special Commissioner Naveen Mittal and other senior officials of the HMWS&SB, police and Transco attended the programme. However, there was representative from the Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts Collectorates, South Central Railway and the Road Transport Coporation.

Of 13 phone calls received during the programme, most were related to the Town Planning department and illegal constructions. A caller from Ameerpet complained that about nine acres of government land has been encroached upon in Shoba Colony and a five-floor building has come up on a plot. However, he said that the despite several complaints, the GHMC officials remained silent.

Another caller from Purani Haveli complained improper sanitation in his locality. Responding to this complaint, the GHMC Mayor assured that immediate steps would be taken to lift garbage and resolve other problems in the area.

Further, she said that the GHMC has allocated nearly 40 per cent of its budget for the Old City. A resident of Erragadda complained that an Urban Health Centre was yet to started although the GHMC has already constructed its building.

A resident of Hafeez Baba Nagar in the Old City said that although pipelines were laid in his area nearly six months ago, but the water supply is yet to be started.

Another complainant enquired about a non-existent CC Road in new Banjara Colony, which is being shown in records as existent. The GHMC officials also received 18 petitions from the citizens.

The force entry of a TDP corporator Rama Rao along with his supporters into the GHMC Face to Face hall where the programme was being held sparked anger with some citizens who came to submit petitions objecting to it.

They complained that a corporator could meet the GHMC Mayor or other officials anytime, but common citizens get the opportunity only once in a week. Therefore, the corporators should restrain from disrupting such programmes.

Meanwhile, the GHMC informed that it has resolved all 37 petitions that it received during the last Face to Face programme held on September 3.