HYDERABAD: A little more than a year ago, the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) – now Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) -- was supposed to have transferred powers to clear building plans (development rights) to the GHMC.

Only partly, because while it did officially give away powers to the local civic body to release building plans pertaining to the 12 surrounding municipalities that together formed the GHMC along with MCH, it has not totally transferred all the pending applications.

These are concerning multi-storeyed buildings – more than 18 metres of height or above five floors.

The result is that even now the HMDA continues to clear plans for such buildings coming up within the GHMC’s jurisdiction!

“About 15 such plans were released till date. We have no idea how many more are awaiting clearance,” confessed a senior official.

As per the orders issued in September last year, all applications submitted to HUDA before 17th were to be processed by the former but released through GHMC. That is not happening.

Although the GHMC is not totally in the dark as one of its officials participates in the building committee meetings of HMDA, the ‘dual role’ confusion could be avoided.

Moreover, in GHMC multi-storeyed buildings are cleared at the head office and records are kept there.

HMDA, however, has been sending the cleared building plans to the municipal circle offices concerned instead of routing it to the head office.

“We have no clue about what kind of building is coming up within our own area as the head office has no record. We have urged HMDA to send plans to the head office only,” explained an official.

Otherwise, municipal circles have had no issues clearing ground plus two building plans because they were doing the same job as erstwhile municipalities. The issue of sharing fees charged for building permissions also continues to be contentious with GHMC feeling deprived of its share from the recent multi-storeyed buildings’ clearances.

“GHMC’s finances have gone for a toss because of the enormous money sanctioned of late to improve the poor civic infrastructure in the suburbs, earlier under HUDA control. It needs all the funds available now,” argues an official.

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