Deccan Chronicle 30.08.2009
Fund crunch hits city plan
Hyderabad
Aug. 29: City legislators on Saturday alleged that the state government’s promise of developing Greater Hyderabad on par with international cities such as Shanghai and Hong Kong has remained only on paper.
The CPIM Rajya Sabha member, Mr P. Madhu and MLAs, including Mr G. Kishan Reddy of BJP, Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi of MIM, Mr Jayaprakash Narayana of Lok Satta, said the government is not releasing money to public utility departments such as the GHMC, HMDA, Water Board, Central Discom, QQSUDA, which are starved of funds.
At a meeting chaired by the municipal administration minister, Mr Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, the city MPs, MLCs and MLAs highlighted the problems facing the city, including water logging on roads, low-lying areas, contaminated drinking water supply, poor drainage system among others.
However, Mr Ramnarayana Reddy said a comprehensive plan for sewer and storm water drain network and drinking water lines, was being prepared for Greater Hyderabad.
The project requires Rs 10,000 crore and the government is submitting the detailed project report to JNNURM for funding, he told reporters after the meeting.
He said “issues such as purchase of airtech machines to clean drainage lines, housing for urban poor, laying of new roads, repairs to existing ones and widening of other roads, construction of 27 new flyovers and 21 foot over bridges, power supply, repairs to state and national highways passing through the city, garbage clearance, sanitation maintenance, giving loans to self help groups, water supply, and improvement of traffic, was discussed.”
