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Urban Planning

EOI: GVMC gives more time for developing sites

Friday, 26 June 2009 10:38 administrator
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Source : The Hindu Date : 26.06.2009

EOI: GVMC gives more time for developing sites

Staff Reporter

CPI (M) and CPI members walk out of general body meet

 

Number of hired vehicles to be reduced by 70

Former Mayor Hari actively participates in deliberations

VISAKHAPATNAM: A general body meeting of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation on Thursday decided to give one more month’s time for fresh applicants for development of its 10 sites in public-private partnership. The Expression of Interest (EOI) called for last year received 168 applications.

Reiterating their opposition to the PPP, the TDP, CPI(M) and CPI staged a walkout. The council approved allotment of an alternative site to a food court proposed on the Beach Road.

Expressing concern over the poor financial condition of the corporation, the meeting ratified Commissioner B.Sridhar’s decision to reduce the 92 hired vehicles by 70.

Members deplored the payment of Rs.69.73 lakhs towards settlement of bills to contractor of Swarnabharathi Indoor Stadium. Mayor Pulusu Janardhana Rao ruled that the files would be verified by a committee of floor leaders under the chairmanship of Deputy Mayor K. Dorabbai for further action.

The meeting also resolved to send a fresh request within 10 days to the Bar Council seeking names for appointment of six municipal standing counsel as per the roaster. Members expressed ire at cost escalation for the Jawaharlal National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) works in spite of appointing consultants for preparing detailed project reports even as corporators faced flak for not taking up small works. Cell towers would be allowed to be erected on one-time payment of Rs.50,000 (on buildings) Rs.1 lakh from the ground-level. The Mayor announced that the corporation would set up a statue of revolutionary Bhagat Singh.

Anakapalle MP Sabbam Hari faulted official ‘irresponsibility’ for the sorry state of affairs in the corporation. He said officials from other departments were coming on deputation to bleed the corporation. While opposing appointing a number of consultants, he wanted the expenditure on hospitality and phones to be put before the council.

Mr. Hari, a former Mayor, actively participated in the deliberations giving suggestions to the Mayor on various issues. Earlier, MLAs Tainala Vijay Kumar, Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao, Malla Vijay Prasad, P. Rameshbabu, M. Srinivasa Rao, Ch. Venkatramaiah were warmly welcomed.

Last Updated on Friday, 26 June 2009 11:03
 

Multiplex construction has no GVMC approval

Tuesday, 23 June 2009 05:16 administrator
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Source : The Hindu Date : 23.06.2009

Multiplex construction has no GVMC approval

Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM: Construction of a multiplex at which earth caved in killing four persons on Sunday has been taken up without the approval of the Town Planning Department of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation.

The construction has been taken up after obtaining permission from the Joint Collector under the Cinematography Act. However, the GVMC which has to implement the master plan and zoning regulations has issued a notice on why the construction was taken up without its approval, sources said. Construction continued challenging the notice and obtaining a status quo order from the High Court.

Municipal Commissioner B. Sridhar was also learnt to have insisted on approval from the Town Planning Department. Following the instructions of the joint collector, the GVMC has filed a fresh affidavit with the master plan and other required details under the new act to get the stay vacated, according to Chief City Planner G.V. Raghu. The GVMC authorities have sent a report to the District Collector on Sunday’s tragic incident.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 June 2009 05:18
 

Union to seek probe into allocation of house sites

Tuesday, 23 June 2009 05:11 administrator
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Source : The Hindu Date : 23.06.2009

Union to seek probe into allocation of house sites

Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) seems to have messed up the issue of allocation of house sites to its employees at Gunadala. The Corporation officials have violated the resolutions passed in the VMC general body and the laid down procedures, if the information provided to employees’ union leader is to be believed.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Employees Union general secretary A. Ranganayakulu recently applied under the Right to Information Act seeking information about the employees’ housing proposals.

The officials told him that the land was divided into plots of a size of 200 sq. mtr., 150 sq. mtr. and 100 sq. mtr. at Gunadala. They put the number of 200 sq. mtr. plots as 406, 150 sq.mtr. plots as 13 and 100 sq. mtr. plots as 227. It was apparently against the agreed size of division of plots. It was earlier decided to divide the land into 192 plots of 200 sq. mtr. each, 195 plots of 150 sq. mtr. each and 427 plots of 100 sq. mtr. each. The 100 sq. mtr. plots were designed for class-IV employees, while the remaining ones were for other categories of employees.

The employees union is livid that the officials have brought down the number of plots at their whims and fancies, while the resolutions directs them to allocate 1,814 plots for the employees.

Mr. Ranganayakulu said on Monday that the VMC officials had ‘furnished false information’ under the RTI Act. The violated the Act, as well as done injustice to the employees. The issue would be placed before the Municipal Administration Secretary shortly. The union would urge the Secretary to initiate inquiry into this, he said.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 June 2009 05:12
 

De-silting of stormwater drains should be given priority, officials told

Monday, 22 June 2009 04:55 administrator
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Source : The Hindu Date : 22.06.2009

De-silting of stormwater drains should be given priority, officials told

Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM: Removal of encroachments and de-silting of stormwater drains should be given top priority to prevent flooding in the rainy season, Municipal Commissioner B.Sridhar said. Directing officials to aim measures at sparing the hardship of flooding for people, he said action would be taken if anyone was negligent.

The Commissioner went on an inspection of Chakaligedda from KRM Colony to MVP Colony on Saturday. Three machines should be deployed for Chakaligedda so that work at other places like Poorna Market, One Town and Prasad Gardens areas was not affected, he said.

He instructed officials that lorries of a seller of building materials at Isukathota be seized for allegedly violating rules. Girders should be built on either side of the road. Chief Engineer B. Jayarami Reddy, Chief City Planner G.V. Raghu and Chief Medical Officer (Health) D. Abbulu participated.

Last Updated on Monday, 22 June 2009 05:08
 


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