Beautification funds go down the drain

Be it CoP-11 or the coming Metropolis Week in October 2014, crores are going down the drain. For the 11-day Conference of Parties meet 2013, around Rs 273.49 crore was spent on beautification. However, what remains are faded paintings on city walls, broken sculptures and dummies.

The same is being repeated for the Metropolis Week, and the GHMC’s attempts to beautify the seven gateways leading to Golconda and Qutub Shahi tombs, is likely to meet the fate of the things beautified for CoP-11.

The entire stretch from Jubliee Hills till Madhapur, where the CoP-11 delegates were accommodated, was beautified with sculptures, painted pavements, medians and greenery. But when work started on HMR the entire stretch was demolished to make way for pavements. It’s the same case with the paintings on bridges and at the Begumpet HMDA office. The dummies and art works under bridges are covered with dust.

Mr. C. Rao, the President of the United Resident Welfare Association Greater Hyderabad said, “Beautification should produce facilities that will remain an asset, like stadiums and theme parks. The expenditure should have a permanent vision. Building approach roads and cutting trees for that are destructive activities.”

"When crores are spent on infrastructure that should be able bring in revenues for the city through tourism. In fact the delegates should be made to have a joint meeting with the resident welfare heads so that citizens can learn and corporations implement works. Long term plans for keeping the city clean and green should be implemented. Projects for solid waste management, laying of cement roads and improving toilets and bus shelters should be taken up," he added.