HYDERABAD: From now onwards, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB), after laying the water pipeline for affixing the water meter connection to the domestic households and free tap connection to below poverty line (BPL) families, would restore the dug-up road portion to avoid inconvenience to the people.
Speaking to Express, HMWS&SB Managing Director, M Dana Kishore on Saturday said decision to restore the cut portion of the road by Water Board was agreed after holding a detail discussions with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) commissioner B Janardan Reddy on Saturday.
According Dana Kishore, till now, an estimated amount was collected by HMWS&SB as road restoration charges from the water consumers by the Water Board providing them the water connection. The same amount was transferred to GHMC treasury for restoration of the road later.
The house owner, after getting the connection, would have to cut the required portion of the road from the water supply lines to one’s house with the help of private persons for laying the pipelines. Then, the Green Brigade will fix the water meter. After the work is completed, the same will be informed to GHMC to restore the damaged portion of the road.
However, because of this cumbersome process, road restoration works were getting delayed, creating problems to the citizens. So, it was decided that road restoration, after pipeline connection, would be restored by HMWS&SB from the collected restoration charges instead of giving to the GHMC.
In case of BPL families, where connection is given for Re 1, road restoration charges would be borne by the Water Board itself, Dana Kishore said.
In fact, till now, as per the prevailing norms, after the Green Brigade of HMWS&SB fixes the water meters at the households, the road restoration works will be undertaken by the GHMC.
But, because of this, there was an inordinate delay in relaying the damaged portion of the roads by corporation causing hardships to the people.
GHMC to take up repair works of manholes
Works on manholes belonging to HMWS&SB on main road will be, hereafter, done by the GHMC. The reason for this new arrangement is that while relaying of roads by the GHMC, water and sewerage manholes of HMWS&SB may get lowered than the surface level leading to unevenness of the road which may lead to accidents, as these works have till now been undertaken by the water board. So instead of HMWS&SB raising the manholes and bringing them to even road level for smooth driving, GHMC will henceforth take up the repairs of manholes on roads to avoid any delays.