Hyderabad: Shastripuram rues for basic facilities

Rajendranagar: Despite being a 30-year-old layout, the Shastripuram colony has been deprived of sewerage facility even though several representations were made by the residents.

Now, when the GHMC is about to relinquish the responsibility of sewerage maintenance, the plight and the hopes of the residents hinges with the HMWS&SB who is about to take charge of the same from 1st March this year.

"In the name of sewerage line, the GHMC has started connecting the sewerage to storm water line of 600mm diameters RCC NP3 pipe that too covers only a portion of the colony. The GHMC finds this as a solution to avoid perennial water clogging issue on particular points in the colony. Barring a few peripheral streets, the major part of the colony is still cry for the facility," said Syed Shoukat Ali, a senior resident of the colony. After pursuing the matter with GHMC for more than 33 years, we got a little approval of sewerage lines only for few peripheral streets. And now when the up-keeping of sewerage is about to change the hands from GHMC to HMWS&SB, we are not sure how many more rounds we have to make to the new agency to see the entire colony privileged with the facility," he rued.

"Presently, the works of sewerage drain line of 600 mm diameters in two bits are under process. The first bit is moving from Shastripuram Bus Stop to inward direction via Ashra Mubashira mosque and the other bit covers the subsequent area till Ali Bhai mosque. These works are being undertaken with an estimation of Rs.39.70 lakh while another bit of Rs19 lakh is in the pipeline," informed the Shastripuram Corporator Mohammed Misbahuddin.

"There are few more developments works coming up in the colony soon such as construction of CC roads etc. These works will be completed soon and with this the long pending issue of water clogging and sewerage will be resolved permanently," he added.

History of locality

Shastripuram - a colony, that sinks into oblivion for almost 33 years after becoming a HUDA approved residential layout, has emerged out on the geography of Rajendranagar only 8 years ago with the residents steered up a movement against the polluting plastic and other industries that making their life miserable.

The colony that embarks on a journey, being a part of grampanchayat under Mailardevpally has turned into HUDA approved layout in the year 1987 and became a municipal division in the year 2016. Though the division was named after 'Shastripuram', the actual geography shows that the colony comes under Ward No 58 of Mailardevpally village. This division is represented by MIM and Mohammed Misbahuddin is the first elected corporator from this division for which the GHMC elections were held in February 2016.

According to official layout the colony spreads over 284 acres and came into existence in the year 1987. However, it has been deprived of basic amenities such as sewerage line. Besides open lands earmarked for parks, School, Bank and Post Office, they are not yet turned into reality.