Hyderabad’s SNDP impresses Delhi Municipal Corporation: KTR

Recently, MA&UD officials from the State had given a presentation on SNDP and Delhi Municipal Corporation officials appreciated the programme and sought details

Hyderabad: Stating that Hyderabad was the only city to take up a Strategic Nala Development Programme in the country, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao said impressed with the works, Delhi Municipal Corporation had evinced interest and was learning about the programme.

Recently, MA&UD officials from the State had given a presentation on SNDP and Delhi Municipal Corporation officials appreciated the programme and sought details. They even complimented the Telangana government for taking up these works stating that it would make Hyderabad a climate resilient city, the Minister said in the Assembly on Saturday.

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“We are also launching SNDP Phase II works and plans are being prepared accordingly. We are committed to ensure that Hyderabad is not plagued with flooding issues.” Rama Rao said, adding that the SNDP works taken up across the city had resulted in free flow of rainwater without major flooding incidents in residential areas.

On nala encroachments, the Minister said the Kirloskar Committee constituted during the Telugu Desam regime had identified 28,000 encroachments across the city. When the government wants clear encroachments, people raise complaints with elected public representatives, he said, seeking cooperation from MLAs and others in executing SNDP works without hurdles.

Regarding the Balkapur nala, the Minister said permissions were obtained for executing the nala diversion works with Rs.9.7 crore in defence lands.

“Last time in the Assembly, when I raised my voice, a few people found fault with my approach towards Military authorities. But they fell in line only after I spoke like that,” Rama Rao said, adding that tenders were called for thrice and responses were awaited from bidders. All these works would be completed before monsoon, he said.

Defence authorities had constructed a check dam in Langar Houz, where the Balkapur nala flows into the Hussain Sagar. This structure was posing a threat to Shahtham Tank. To ensure free flow of water from Shahtham tank near Golconda Fort downstream, a few works were planned but the Archaeological Survey of India had denied permissions citing different reasons, he said.

Lamenting that the Centre was increasing GST on material for civic works as well, he said he had no idea on the revenue generated for the Centre but it was definitely creating problems for the State government as project costs were shooting up considerably.