HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has sought an extension of one month for taking over the operation and maintenance (O&M) of sewerage network in the peripheral municipal circles of the GHMC.
The Water Board has asked for time from the State government to get fully equipped to handle the responsibility. At present, the day-to-day maintenance of sewerage system in the peripheral areas is under control of the GHMC. The civic body will continue to maintain the sewerage O&M for another month and are likely to handover the same to HMWS&SB from October first week. However, major works such as laying of sewage pipelines will be taken up by the civic body through the engineering wing.
GHMC sources told Express that HMWS&SB has sought time to study the sewerage network system, requirement of staff and machinery. In the peripheral circles of the GHMC, there are 66 wards, 3,600 km of sewerage pipelines with 3.25 to 3.30 lakh manholes. The operations involve an expense of around `8.50 crore per month.
A few weeks ago, the State government decided to bring the maintenance of sewerage systems under one umbrella for effective management. After the decision by MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao, GHMC Commissioner D S Lokesh Kumar had directed all the zonal commissioners to hand over the O&M, sewerage staff and machinery back to the HMWS&SB before August 31.
In March 2020, the HMWS&SB took over the maintenance of sewerage network in GHMC peripheral circles from GHMC with a view to ensure better functioning. However, after few months, GHMC corporators from peripheral areas urged Rama Rao to hand back the O&M to the civic body. After taking stock of the situation, Rama Rao issued instructions to revert O&M works to GHMC in October last year.