Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's Elected Body Concludes Five-Year Term
The elected body of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will officially conclude its five-year term on Tuesday, marking the end of its tenure and initiating a transition to administrative oversight by a special officer. This development clears the path for a secretary-rank special officer to be appointed by the Telangana government to supervise the civic body's operations.
Special Officer to Oversee Expanded Jurisdiction
In accordance with statutory provisions that require administrative supervision once an elected municipal body's term expires, the special officer will be responsible for governing the corporation. This includes managing the 300 wards within GHMC's expanded jurisdiction, ensuring continuity in civic functions until fresh municipal elections are conducted. The government plans to focus on distributing assets and liabilities to facilitate a smooth transition before the elections.
Commissioner Clarifies Administrative Roles
GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan clarified the administrative arrangement on Monday, stating that he will continue to handle the day-to-day functioning of the civic body. "I will remain the commissioner and look after daily operations, while the special officer will oversee the corporation," he told TOI. "Under special officer rule, the civic body will continue to fulfil all its responsibilities without delay and carry out activities efficiently." This dual-role structure aims to maintain operational efficiency during the interim period.
Financial Challenges and Development Concerns
Currently, GHMC faces significant financial challenges, with a debt exceeding 4,500 crore incurred for projects such as the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP), Comprehensive Road Maintenance Programme (CRMP), and Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP). The corporation is repaying approximately 100 crore per month towards loan repayments, highlighting the fiscal pressures during this transition.
Corporators have expressed dissatisfaction with the transition, citing pending development works worth several crores of rupees as the elected body's term ends. Malkajgiri corporator V Sravan pointed out coordination issues, stating, "One of the biggest issues for us in the last five years was a lack of coordination between GHMC and HMWS&SB, where many of the sewerage works were left incomplete and were delayed regularly."
Recent Proposals and Committee Meetings
At the 12th ordinary meeting of the standing committee on Monday, several proposals were discussed, including:
- A preamble submitted by the GHMC commissioner for a multipurpose function hall costing 3 crore.
- Another 3 crore proposal for constructing a multi-storeyed building in Beerappaguda.
- Road development plans in areas such as Mansoorabad, Saroornagar, and LB Nagar.
These items reflect ongoing efforts to address infrastructure needs despite the administrative changes.
