WARANGAL: With just six months left of their term, corporators of the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) are facing public ire over a “study tour” to Indore, accompanied by their families.
Residents have questioned the purpose and timing of the visit, alleging it was more of a junket funded by taxpayers’ money.
A total of 56 corporators, including several women members, took part in the tour, while 10 stayed back citing personal reasons. GWMC officials also joined the group. Indore, which has consistently ranked as India’s cleanest city under the Swachh Survekshan, was chosen as the destination for learning best practices in urban management.
According to Mayor Gundu Sudha Rani, the civic body — responsible for 66 wards and a population of around 10 lakh — spent nearly Rs 50 lakh on the trip. Significantly, the expenditure was made without the knowledge of the state government, she admitted.
In Indore, the corporators were taken to the municipal corporation to observe innovative waste management practices and urban planning strategies that have helped the city stay ahead in national cleanliness rankings.
However, the Warangal Citizens’ Forum has strongly criticised the exercise, branding it an “unnecessary expenditure.” Residents argue that with such little time left in office, corporators can neither absorb nor implement the lessons from Indore. “This is nothing but a family picnic at public expense,” said M Satish, a resident of Shiva Nagar.