Dalit Bandhu vehicles to spawn traffic chaos in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Dalit Bandhu scheme is likely to add to the traffic woes of the citizens in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits as more than 40 per cent of applicants have sought a vehicle for running as taxi/cab service under the scheme. More than 5,000 vehicles would be coming on roads in the next couple of months going by the expansion of the scheme.

The State government has decided to expand the scheme by increasing the numbers from 100 per constituency to 500. According to authorities, around 40-42 per cent of applicants have sought a four-wheeler to run taxi or cab. The government has been providing a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to each beneficiary of the scheme.

The applicants have been seeking money for cars; this is leading to a problem for MLAs in many constituencies. The legislators are a worried lot with the cab applications. They said that if their number is increased to 500, there will be at least 200 cars in each constituency. There are 24 Assembly segments in the GHMC limits. If at least 40 per cent of them opt for four wheelers, then the number would be around 5,000 four-wheelers on city roads in a couple of months.

The MLAs are focusing to discourage the applicants using the schemes for vehicles. They are asking them to form a team and go in for a business. Already roads are jammed with a large number of vehicles coming everyday. If more beneficiaries opt for vehicles, it will be more chaos, said an MLA.

Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao also wanted the applicants to become entrepreneurs starting at least small-scale units and provide employment. "We are discouraging the applicants coming with a request for a vehicle and suggesting to them to go for machinery. We are having an interaction to know the purpose of taking the loan. If there is no proper planning, we are rejecting the application at primary stage," said a ruling party legislator. He said embroidery machinery and other initiatives are being encouraged for women beneficiaries so that vehicles can be stopped.