The strike of GVMC employees has led to roads remaining in a bad shape for more than a month now.
Several roads, which have been crying out for attention and whose condition became worse owing to rain during the last few weeks, remain unattended. For some of them, approvals have been obtained but the process of calling for tenders cannot be taken up. The few tenders called cannot be finalised owing to the strike.
Some of the road works have been taken up before the strike began leading to improvement in areas like Dwarakanagar, Daba Garden etc.
Core area
In One Town area, the core part of the city in Zone II and III, Gajuwaka and part of Malkapuram road repair works are to be carried out. For some road works sanctions have been given.
But roads in some other busy areas including Sankar Mutt, New Colony, Dondaparthy, Railway Station, Chavulamadum road, Muralinagar main road, HB Colony Road cannot be taken up owing to strike. In all, general works worth Rs.100 crore are proposed to be taken up in the core area alone but the strike threw a spoke in the wheels, say sources in the GVMC. Of them, sanctioned road works, including repairs and new ones of about 100 km, account for Rs.50 crore, say sources.
Even if a work is sanctioned the lower level officials to carry out the required process are on strike. On the other hand, contractors are also enthusiastically taking up works. GVMC owes arrears to the tune of Rs. 80 crore to them over the last six to eight months. With contractors also becoming part of the strike there is no way the process can be taken forward.
Solace
The only solace is that work of emergency nature, if it is below Rs.1 lakh, can be taken up on nomination basis.
Though zone commissioners were earlier empowered to take up works of minor nature, the powers were withdrawn after allegations of misuse.
