HYDERABAD: A hue and cry is being raised against the allocation of a whopping Rs 70 lakh to establish a separate office space for the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP), at a time when the GHMC is reeling under severe financial crisis.
Though vacant office spaces are available at multiple places, like the GHMC head office on Tank Bund Road, Buddha Bhavan at Ranigunj, and Metro Bhavan, the SNDP preferred to shift to the R&B Complex at AC Guards and urged the civic body to release the amount to move to the new premises. The outgoing GHMC Standing Committee has given administrative sanction for the decision.
However, senior GHMC officials have objected to the move, stating that there were vacant office spaces and infrastructure available in different offices. Officials say a new office would also need new infrastructure and the expenses would run into lakhs.
The Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the SNDP wing, Vasantha, has written to GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar to accord approval for the establishment of an OSD and Chief Engineer for SNDP, and for the release of Rs 70 lakh by March 31. Currently, the work is being done from the office of the Superintending Engineer, HL&WBM circle, Buddha Bhavan.
The monthly rent of the new space at the R&B Complex is Rs 1.90 lakh. An amount of Rs 25 lakh is allotted for procuring furniture, Rs 10 lakh for shifting and repairs. Of the Rs 70 lakh, regular expenditure is around Rs 33 lakh and one-time expenditure comes to Rs 37 lakh.