In keeping with his decision to boost brand Hyderabad, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao laid out his priorities for improvement of the city. During his first meeting with officials on Tuesday, he asked them to draw short-term and long-term plans for development of the city. “Whatever you do should hold good for the next 30 to 40 years,” Mr. Rao told GHMC officials.
The Chief Minister asked the civic authorities to clear all the water stagnation points before the onset of monsoon. Drainage leakage and intermixing of water and sewer lines should not happen, he said and wanted clearance of bottlenecks in free flow of water to Osmansagar reservoir. “Work in a systematic manner. Money will not be a constraint,” he assured.
Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali was also present at the review meeting the Chief Minister held with officials. Mr. Rao took keen interest in the GHMC functioning and asked its Commissioner Somesh Kumar not to burden people with taxes. The government would get extra funds for the development of the city.
Later speaking to presspersons, Mr. Mahmood Ali said the Chief Minister was particular that people are not inconvenienced during the rainy season. The city had earned a good name during the Nizam era and now five minutes of rain was enough to flood it. The city population was expected to increase by 30 to 40 lakh with the Information Technology Investment Region coming. Therefore, the Chief Minister wanted officials to focus on long-term planning.
