The Hindu             24.10.2013

New GHMC Commissioner to focus on bad roads, slums

Somesh Kumar on Wednesday took over as Commissioner, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), and said all the good work done by his predecessor M. T. Krishna Babu would be taken forward.

Priority areas

Speaking to presspersons after taking charge, Mr. Kumar listed out his priorities for the city which included repairs of roads badly affected due to the rains, ensuring speedy redressal of citizens’ grievances and strengthening the decentralisation initiatives.

He underscored the need for the civic body to emerge as a nodal unit for all the other departments and promised to focus on the slums and the poor in the city. The Old City too needed much attention, he conceded.

Mr. Krishna Babu said the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation which had Rs.490 crore overdraft not only strove to overcome it but managed to reached a comfortable position.

Clearance of the contractors’ bills which used to take months was now taken up on weekly basis and those related to projects, on the same day. Through various initiatives each penny was streamlined and best efforts were made to usher in transparency in the civic body, Mr. Krishna Babu claimed.

To focus on road repairs, speedy grievance redressal and strengthening decentralisation initiatives.