Govt move piles burden on GHMC

​Hyderabad: The state government has backed off from providing infrastructure cost to its flagship double bedroom housing (2BHK) project for the urban poor in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits. This move by the government will burden the civic body with Rs 750 crore additionally to construct one lakh 2BHK houses in the city. The government has also released a GO No 4 dated 29 June 2017 in this regard.

According to a GHMC official, the unit cost for 2BHK housing project was Rs 7 lakh for ground + 3 floors and Rs 7.9 lakh for ground + 9 floors. The government has also fixed Rs 75,000 per unit towards infrastructure cost (which includes laying sewer lines and other utilities). The government in its GO No 4 mentioned that the local bodies have tobear the burden of infrastructure cost too since they hold the responsibility of providing civic amenities.

A senior GHMC official told The Hans India that the decision of the government has left the cash-crunch civic body clueless. He said the civic body has already been paying Rs 250 crore city and giving 15 per cent of total property tax collected to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board. He said the decision of the government will now additionally burden the civic body with Rs 750 crore. He said the amount has tobe adjusted in two financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19since the government has fixed the target to complete the 2BHK by December next year.

However, the GHMC official made it clear that the GO will be applicable only for the future 2BHK tenders and not for the ongoing projects. He said the corporation has already finalised tenders for about 29,000 2BHK houses and will soon invite another 15,000 houses for bidding. He said the GHMC will at least burden by Rs 600 crore with the government's decision. He also said the GHMC will not be in a position to pay salaries to its employees during the next financial year.