Hyderabad: Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) metropolitan commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmad said his aim is to dispose of applications for building permissions received under the Telangana Building Permission Approval & Self Certification System (TG-bPASS) within 21 days.
In line with the vision of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, he said HMDA will execute landmark projects such as elevated corridors including the ones at Secunderabad on NH-44, a bridge over Mir Alam Tank, multiple lung spaces on par with international standards, lake protection and rejuvenation, slum beautification within and around the city.
Excerpts:
Q. What are the major land pooling projects that you intend to take up?
There are three projects that are already underway, including the one at Inmulnarva village in Kothur. While these three land pooling projects are at an advanced stage, consent forms are being obtained from land owners for the other two projects.
Q. What are your major focus areas in HMDA?
One of the priorities is the disposal of Telangana Building Permission Approval & Self Certification System (TG-bPASS) applications within the stipulated time of 21 days. We will pull out reports from the system, which are pending.
The Chief Minister’s visionary projects including two elevated corridors and the bridge over Mir Alam Tank are also of utmost priority. For these three projects, we have already floated a transaction advisory contract, and some detailed project reports (DPRs) have already been done. We will basically see how best these projects can be structured with private participation.
Q. You have an image of a strict officer. It may be due to some of your actions against pubs. Your staff is also interested to know this from you. What’s your next step? How will you strengthen the vigilance wing of HMDA?
I don’t want my office to be the centre of rent-seeking activity at any cost. I don’t want to preside over a system that is infamous for it. If such things come to my notice, I will be ruthless on them. Other than that, I don’t like to shout at people. I might have an image of a person with a slight temper, but I also have another image. If you look at all my postings, people even from the first posting come to me for random things in the hope that I will do something for them. I want work to be done well, I might be strict but I don’t hold things against anybody.
Q. The city is growing vertically, especially in the west part, with dozens of high-rise buildings. What are your plans to make sure amenities are in place for them?
Of course, improving traffic movement is one of the priorities and public spaces for citizens will be another. We will take up development and rejuvenation of lakes. Why should the city have only one lake, Hussain Sagar? Why can we have dozens of similar such water bodies with amenities even if they are of smaller size? A lot of parks will be developed around the lakes. For instance, we have KBR park. Why shouldn't we have 10 or 20 similar lung spaces?
