Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Gaddi Annaram on road to progress

By R. Ravikanth Reddy

HYDERABAD Jan. 31. Problems still remain, but some noticeable development on various fronts has overshadowed them in the smallest municipality in the State -- Gaddi Annaram -- one year after the first elected body took over office.

Like many other places in the city, concentration on roads and lighting is visible in this municipality though issues like drinking water and drainage continue to dominate. "Our major contribution to the municipality this year has been laying roads to all the colonies,'' says Baddam Subash Reddy, Chairman of the municipality.

The municipality has spent Rs. 1.15 crores for roads to connect all colonies, while estimates of Rs. 1.45 crores have been prepared and are ready to be grounded. Once this is completed, every nook and corner of the municipality will have proper roads.

However, one promise that is yet to be fulfilled is construction of a storm water drain to contain the likely submergence of several colonies if the Saroornagar Lake is filled to the brim. The Home Minister, T. Devender Goud, launched the work on this project last September and assured its completion within six months. But, lack of coordination between officials seems to be making the work move at a snail's pace.

Residents, who are likely to be affected, have raised this issue, while, at the same time, expressing satisfaction about the developmental works taken up in the last one year. "People are afraid whenever rainy season approaches. All the development will be nullified if the drain line is not completed,'' says a businessman in the area.

``The delay is due to some technical reasons, and once it is cleared the work will start, probably in March or April this year. Even funds have been allocated and are ready for use,'' says Mr. Subash Reddy. But, for that main line the municipality had spent more than Rs. 32 lakhs for laying drainage lines and replacing the old ones.

He reminds that the municipality was placed second among others in terms of development in a survey taken up by the Government last year. The position was arrived at after taking into consideration its performance on various fronts. They included the income, expenses, collection of taxes, works in the Engineering, Sanitation and Accounts departments, water supply, laying of BT and CC roads, street lighting, plantation and works taken up under various schemes.

The absence of slums in the municipality, perhaps the only one in the country with such comfort, has come as a big boon for it. "The development is quite visible when slums don't exist and we are lucky on this front,'' says an official. "Our job has become easy with no illiterates in the municipality.''

Another area that has been given importance is lighting. About Rs. 25 lakhs was spent to cover all the lampposts, while Rs. 16 lakhs was spent to illuminate important roads. On the beautification front, two model parks with Rs. 26.50 lakhs came up at Prabhat Nagar and Sri Sainagar.

But, shortage of drinking water continues to pose problem. "Water supply is taken care of by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB), and given the present situation people should understand the problem,'' says an official. However, 24 borewells have been dug during the last one year to meet the demand to some extent.

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