HYDERABAD: In line with the restructuring of the GHMC, the state government has extended the jurisdiction of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) to cover the entire Core Urban Region (CURE) and reorganised the Water Board into three regional units — Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Malkajgiri.
Through GOs issued on Wednesday, the state government transferred the entire water supply and sewerage system of the CURE from GHMC to HMWSSB. The Water Board will now be responsible for monitoring, maintenance and development of water supply and sewerage networks, including construction of new Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs), across the CURE area of 2,053 sq km.
The HMWSSB managing director, the GHMC Commissioner and the Engineer-in-Chief, RWS&S, Hyderabad, have been directed to take further action to operationalise the transfer.
As per Section 7 of the HMWSSB Act, the Water Board is mandated to provide water supply and sewerage services in the Hyderabad Metropolitan Area. Accordingly, its jurisdiction has been extended to be coterminous with the reorganised GHMC limits following the expansion of the Core Urban Region.
Officials said the restructuring aims to ensure uniform water supply within the Outer Ring Road, strengthen sewerage management, speed up infrastructure expansion and improve grievance redressal. They added that decentralised regional units would enable quicker execution of projects, especially in newly merged areas, and improve coordination and technical oversight amid rapid urban growth.
Joint MD post sanctioned
The state government also sanctioned one post of joint managing director in the IAS cadre to handle the increased workload and expanded area of operation of HMWSSB.
The Water Board stated that an executive director post was sanctioned in 1998 to assist the managing director. Since then, the Board’s jurisdiction has expanded from the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad area to GHMC limits and further up to the ORR. During this period, the number of water connections increased from 2.50 lakh to 14 lakh, while the service area expanded from 168 sq km to 1,458 sq km.
In view of future expansion, the Board decided to redesignate the executive director post as joint managing director. Based on the managing director’s request, the government issued orders on Wednesday.
Executive director posts created
The state government has also sanctioned two executive director posts in the cadre of joint secretary or additional secretary, to work in HMWSSB on deputation basis, citing the substantial expansion of the Board’s service area.
Accordingly, S Pankaja, additional commissioner, GHMC, has been posted as executive director for the Malkajgiri Regional Unit, while Samrat Ashok Nama, who was awaiting posting, has been posted for the Hyderabad Regional Unit. M Santhosh, district registrar, Registration and Stamps department, Rangareddy, has been posted as executive director, Cyberabad Regional Unit.