Hyderabad: City to have integrated database to curb graft

Hyderabad: To put an end to rampant corruption at the ground level in all city civic departments, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has decided to geo-map every nook and corner of Hyderabad.

 To check graft, the corporation has decided to maintain a single integrated database and have a complete profile of every property and all civic amenities in the city.

A GHMC official claimed that this exercise will help the corporation provide timely and accurate solutions to citizens by curbing irregularities in any department. It will also help in removing bogus voters, classifying structures as residential, commercial or both, identifying unauthorised constructions through real time monitoring and attending to grievances swiftly.

According to highly placed sources, the GHMC commissioner on Friday held a review meeting with corporation staff and asked them to geo map the entire city. During the first phase, all properties will be geo tagged and classified into residential, commercial and mixed properties based on the zone (residential, commercial and mixed). Later, a digital number will be provided to them which will be shared to all line departments including commercial taxes, Hyderabad Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Electricity Department and other departments to cross check whether the citizen is cheating.

For instance, it has come to the notice of the corporation that businesses are being run from residential properties. Taxes may have been paid to the commercial tax department, but commercial property tax has not been paid and nor do they have a trade licence, or pay water, electricity, revenue, stamps and registration and other taxes required of a commercial enterprise. Issues like these will be checked if the database of all city departments is integrated and a comprehensive profile for each structure is available.

This exercise will also minimise the human interface and curtail the rampant corruption by mid and ground level staff. Sources said that an independent committee comprising officials from all the city departments will participate in the exercise and prepare a comprehensive action plan. Every civic amenity including streetlights, roads, drinking water and sewerage networks will be geo-tagged and monitored on a daily basis by special teams of experts appointed by an independent committee.