GHMC paying 4 agencies to clean the same roads

 Hyderabad: In what can be described as an inexplicable arrangement, courtesy of the GHMC, the main roads in the city are cleaned by three different agencies, apart from their own regular sweepers. Ironically, all the four ‘involved’ in keeping the road clean are paid.

As per norms, private agencies attached to the Comprehensive Road Maintenance Programme (CRMP), who entrusted the road restoration contract in GHMC limits, are supposed to clean the roads.

In 2019, works on the 709-km road, encompassing the city’s main roads, were handed over to the private agencies at an estimated cost of  Rs 1,827 crore in seven packages. They were also mandated to take up sanitation works on all those stretches.

However, as per GHMC records, a road is cleaned during the day by CRMP agencies, and at night by sweeping machines and in the early hours by sweepers. In addition to this, tourist locations were handed over to private agencies, who are also paid separately for rendering the same job.

As per the CRMP contract, the central medians should be maintained by the four agencies. They are also accountable for greenery on the main roads.

However, verifications revealed that the road plantation drives in the name of Haritha Hāram, were taken up by the GHMC, using government funds.

The civic body also selected some stretches, which it proposed to transform into model corridors. Road restoration works on these stretches have been billed separately and there has been no coordination with CRMP agencies, whatsoever.

GHMC’s major revenue sources are by way of property tax collection and building permission fee. All the fraudulent bills vis-a-vis roads and greenery drives are paid from this very revenue and by taking loans.

Same work, different hands

In 2019, work on the 709-km road, encompassing the city’s main roads, were handed over to the private agencies at an estimated cost of Rs 1,827 crore in seven packages.

Private agencies were also mandated to take up sanitation works on all those stretches.

As per GHMC records, a road is cleaned during the day by CRMP agencies, and at night by sweeping machines and in the early hours by sweepers.

In addition to this, tourist locations were handed over to private agencies, who are also paid separately for rendering the same job.

As per the CRMP contract, the central medians should be maintained by the four agencies. They are also accountable for greenery on the main roads.

Road plantation drives in the name of Haritha Haram were taken up by the GHMC, using government funds.