Restoration work in Hyderabad to be delayed

Because of the delay in carrying out the restoration of battered roads, storm water drains and filling of potholes, citizens will have to bear with the inconvenience for a few more days.

A resident of Baba Nagar in Hyderabad cleans his sludge-ridden motorcycle five days after the floods, as others look on. (Photo | EPS)

HYDERABAD: The proposed restoration works in the city are most likely to be delayed as the State government has been utilising the help of engineers from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for the distribution of Rs 10,000 financial aid to rain-affected families, and in carrying out surveys for enrollment of non-agricultural properties.

Because of the delay in carrying out the restoration of battered roads, storm water drains and filling of potholes, citizens will have to bear with the inconvenience for a few more days. 

 Residents of Al-Jubail Colony pass by
mounds of garbage amassed on the roads
due to the recent floods.

GHMC officials told Express that as many as 200 engineers from the GHMC Maintenance Wing have been deployed in the distribution of financial aid and updation of non-agricultural properties in the  Dharani portal.

The Engineering Wing, however, has blamed the GHMC Deputy Municipal Commissioners (DMCs) for deploying them for the above mentioned works knowing well that restoration works needed to be taken on a war footing, especially as Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Minister KT Rama Rao had requested them to do so. 

Even road restoration works under the Comprehensive Road Maintenance Programme (CRMP) by private agencies took a hit as such works have to be taken up under the supervision of assistant engineers. The engineers stated that even thought the distribution of financial aid was a noble task, the government could have utilised the services of the Revenue Department and teachers for the same.

 The civic body has prepared a rain damage estimate of Rs 566.39 crore. Around 445 stretches of bitumen

which has not receded since the rains 20 days ago, while
residents observe the piles of garbage accumulated in
the area | Vinay Madapu

(BT) roads covering a length of 146.78 have been damaged, and over Rs 109 crore is required to restore the roads into a motorable condition. Similarly, 1,211 stretches of CC roads (376.58 km) have been damaged, for which Rs 319 crore will be required to restore them. For storm water drains, 101 proposals costing Rs 83 crore have been prepared, and for the restoration of lakes, Rs 54.43 crore would be required.

The State government has submitted proposals of infrastructure damages of over Rs 1,600 crore due to heavy rains, which includes Lake and Irrigation (Rs 50 crore), Roads and Buildings (Rs  222 crore), Panchayat Raj (Rs 292 crore), GHMC (Rs 522 crore), Urban Local Bodies (Rs  449 crore), HMWS&SB (Rs 46.59 crore), and TSSPDCL (Rs 5 crore).