Assigned the tasks of planning and developing the city, two civic bodies have got entangled in a showdown over the amount collected as development charges for layout and building approvals.
Development charges
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has recently approached the government with a complaint that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) which collects the development charges for layout and building approvals was not handing over the amount to it.
The HMDA maintains that its power of layout and building permission approval were delegated to GHMC and the government orders, through which this was done, clearly mentioned that the amount thus collected by the Municipal Corporation should be transferred to the urban planning body.
A cash-strapped HMDA has been seeking the same, but the GHMC had not ‘given a single paisa’ of the charges it collected since the year 2008.
“We have been writing regularly to the civic body for the amount but they are not responding. We have recently approached the government detailing the situation and seeking necessary steps for the transfer of the amount,” said the HMDA Commissioner, Neerabh Kumar Prasad. Officials of the Authority claim that the accumulated development charges that the civic body owes work out to more than Rs.1,000 crore.
The HMDA officials pointed out they were seeking only the officially accorded dues and the amount would help them take up new projects in the city and suburbs. “Quite a few projects are lined up and we are running short of funds. If the municipal corporation hands over our amount, we can initiate the works,” said the official.
The government orders that made the HMDA give away its powers to the GHMC also made a provision that the urban authority could withdraw the same. Citing this provision, the HMDA plans to approach the government seeking its nod to withdraw what it had delegated to the civic body.
The GHMC Chief City Planner, G.V. Raghu however put the total development fee collected at around Rs.150 crore and argued that this amount was meant for development of infrastructure in the city. “We are also doing the same and using the collected fee for roads and creation of other facilities for the citizens,” he added.
