Under two years of Congress rule, key GHMC initiatives pushed to the margins
Hyderabad’s once-praised civic and infrastructure initiatives under GHMC have lost momentum over the past two years, with major programmes stalled and focus shifting to demolitions and controversial projects under the Congress government.
Hyderabad: There was a time when corporate executives, retired officers and eminent personalities openly admired Hyderabad’s rapid infrastructure growth and the priority given to easing traffic congestion.
The city was often cited as a model for road infrastructure, flyovers, link roads, smooth airport connectivity and subways. Flagship initiatives such as the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP), Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP), Comprehensive Road Maintenance Programme (CRMP), link road development through HRDCL and several other projects transformed the urban landscape.
On September 14, 2023, Biocon Group Chairman Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of a Syngene Solutions research lab, said the Ease of Living in Hyderabad was better than in Bengaluru due to relatively lower traffic congestion and better infrastructure.
“I must say what you have done with infrastructure has made Ease of Living a much better experience. Ultimately for any ecosystem to thrive, it is about creating opportunities and government support,” she had said.
However, since the Congress government assumed power in the State, many of these initiatives have been pushed to the sidelines.
Driven by what critics describe as a political intent to erase the imprint of the previous BRS government, the present dispensation has neither continued major ongoing initiatives nor unveiled fresh programmes or policies aimed at improving quality of life within Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits.
Beyond road infrastructure, earlier focus areas included stormwater drains, housing, streetlighting, scientific disposal of construction and demolition debris and a wider push to improve civic amenities.
Facilities such as Basti Dawakhanas, open gyms, Annapurna Canteens, playgrounds, swimming pools, stadiums and mini immersion ponds were established to serve citizens across income groups.
The Rs.5 meal scheme at Annapurna Canteens, in particular, proved a boon for employees, students and daily wage earners. Even software professionals were seen queueing up at the canteens for hygienic, affordable meals, significantly reducing their daily expenses.
Over the last two years, however, the provision and upgradation of such amenities has taken a back seat.
Instead, new initiatives announced by the Congress government have triggered anxiety among citizens. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced that the Musi Rejuvenation Project would be taken up at any cost over a 55-km stretch.
The project was projected as an effort to promote night tourism and entrepreneurship along the riverbanks, drawing comparisons with Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon stream and the River Thames in London.
However, under the guise of river rejuvenation, houses of several poor families abutting the Musi were demolished in multiple localities. The move rendered many homeless and sparked political backlash. Similarly, the Enforcement, Vigilance and Disaster Management (EVDM) wing set up by the previous government was aimed at removing encroachments while also assisting residents during calamities such as floods and the Covid-19 pandemic.
After rechristening it as Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring Protection (HYDRAA) in June 2024, the Congress government tasked the new body with clearing lake encroachments and protecting public assets. In contrast, demolitions carried out by HYDRAA have left many families homeless and have also dented real estate sentiment in the city.
More significantly, HYDRAA faced criticism for allegedly targeting houses belonging to poor and middle-income groups while sparing the high and mighty. Its perceived selective approach, including its handling of the Fatima Owaisi Educational Campus run by AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, drew sharp reactions from various sections.
Hyderabad’s image as a city of robust road infrastructure, cable bridges and a growing skyline had once drawn national attention. Over the past two years, however, the city has repeatedly made headlines for demolitions along the Musi, HYDRAA actions and deteriorating road conditions.
Adding to the concerns, the State government recently issued orders merging 27 urban local bodies with the GHMC. The move has not gone down well with many stakeholders and has fuelled speculation about the government’s political intent.
Major civic amenities expenditure in GHMC limits from 2014-15 to 2022-23
– Development of footpaths and upgrading roads: Rs.5023.19 crore
– Land acquisition and road widening – Rs.2073 crore
– Bridges, flyovers, junction development – Rs.452.93 crore
– Storm water drains – Rs.977.52 crore
– Nalas, land acquisition and underground drainage – Rs.4115.62 crore
– SNDP – Rs.918.62 crore
– SRDP – Rs.8410 crore
– CRMP – Rs.1839 crore
– LED streetlights project (seven years) – Rs.797.02 crore
– Basti Dawakhanas – Rs.31.58 crore
– Annapurna canteens – Rs.247.17 crore
– Construction of community halls and moderinsation– Rs.348.76 crore
