GHMC to have enforcement wing, says K. T. Rama Rao

Hyderabad: The TRS working president K. T. Rama Rao on Friday said that the TRS has proposed to set up an enforcement wing in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to regulate the unauthorised constructions in the city.

While speaking at a meeting organised by the Telangana Builders Federation in Hyderabad, he said that the planning wing of the GHMC is handling the regulation of unauthorised constructions as of now.

“It is the planning wing which sanctions permissions for construction and also looks over unauthorised construction activities. We have noticed that the planning wing is facing difficulties in handling both the jobs,” he explained.

He added that the formation of an environmental appraisal committee had been delayed due to the successive elections and that it would be set up soon.

Mr Rao also said, “There are several problems involved which have to be addressed — like curtailing unauthorised constructions and even addressing sewerage problems. These issues will be resolved eventually.”

Mr Rao assured builders that new policies would be introduced to benefit builders, and said that self-regulation will be mandatory to prevent unauthorised constructions and deviation from building permissions.

He said that the youth who want to work in the construction industry should follow norms and that if they indulge in corrupt practices like bribery to obtain permissions, then the brand value of the firm may take a hit.

Mr Rao explained that although Hyderabad has topped the standard of living index in the Mercer Quality of Living rankings 2019 for the fifth time in a row, it is still ranked 142 on the global scale.

He said that the government was chalking out plans to improve Hyderabad and that the developmental activities in that direction be taken up in phases.