A slum in the making

Congested roads, garbage, overflowing drainage and encroachment of public utilities have become routine grievances in this constituency

Constituency: Goshamahal
Voters’ profile: There are nearly 2.57 lakh voters in the five divisions viz. Begum Bazar with 32,361 voters, Mangalhat with 37,098 voters, Dattatreya Nagar with 35,986 voters, Jambaghwith 40,350 voters, Goshamahal with 32,204 voters and Gunfoundry with has 38,497 voters

The civic issues in the Goshamahal Constituency will dominate the approaching Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections. Locals are waiting to get their long-awaited issues settled by their elected representatives.

Congested roads, garbage, overflowing drainage and the encroachment of public utilities have become routine grievances of the locals in the constituency. Apart from the residential use, Goshamahal is famous as a production unit for micro industries in the State,

which manufactures and does wholesale marketing of products. Handicraft products, wood and carpenter bazar, scrap market, metal designing works, statues preparation, a big kite market, bangle bazar and the famous fish market are a few of the businesses, which run here.

Damaged roads
The complaints over poor roads and overflowing drainage are prevailing across the constituency in large numbers. The roads in Mangalhat, Dattatreya Nagar and Goshamahal are in pitiable condition. A wholesale dealer in JummeratBaazar, Muzammil said that despite repairs by the Corporation, the condition of the roads is damaged.

He said that the Corporators seem to spend more than half of the development funds only for repairing roads but, in spite of that the condition is bad. The locals also complain about overflowing sewage, which has been a problem for many years now. The sewage gets mixed with drinking water and has become a threat to their lives.

Likewise, complaints over the lack of concern on timely garbage clearance in residential colonies were also found in majority. A civic worker of Goshamahal, V Srinivas said that they have to beg the sanitation officials to clear garbage in their areas. “We have to telephonically call and inform about the filling of bins to the workers every time,” he said.

No green space
With no initiative by the public representative and Corporation to maintain a green cover, the constituency is deprived of greenery. An environment lover and local from Gunfoundry, Sneha said that there is no open space in their area. “Locals wanting to enjoy greenery have to go to the park in neighbouring colonies like Hyderguda,” she said.

The case is similar with the other areas in constituency. Except the Goshamahal Police stadium the divisions in the constituency have no green space.

Dilapidated historic buildings
The lack of concern by the administration has put significant historic buildings in pitiable condition. An antique item seller in Mangalhat, Parvej said that there are many structures, which belong to the Quli Qutub Shah period but, due to lack of awareness among the public they are getting destroyed. “No one here ever shows concern over the poor state of historic buildings,” he said.

When contacted, the ex-Corporator of Goshamahal said that because most of the buildings were under private ownership, it does not come under the GHMC purview to repair or renovate it. “Only a few buildings are taken care of by the civic administration, which is given voluntarily by the owners,” he said. However, he did support the awareness activities and said that initiatives must be made to alert people on the significance of these historic structures.

No aid to handicraft artistes
The handicraft artistes in front of the Ajanta Gate are deprived of any kind of aid from the government. General Secretary of Mallakunta Artist Community, Srinivas said, “Due to illiteracy and ignorance we are not able to take benefit of our rights.”

According to the locals, the bashti on the footpath was established 46 years ago. Currently, the basthi has nearly 70 families. The locals said that the problem for water, electricity, food and education are major issues, which are never attended by any public representative in the past years.

A similar kind of grievance from the sellers in the fish market of Begum Bazar was found. A marketing committee member Kabeer said that they have been requesting for renovation of the market and to provide basic facilities for the visitors, which has not been attended until today.

Pitiable Musi River
The disposing of garbage by the residents from Afzal Gunj, Jummerat Bazaar, Begum Bazar and Chudi Bazar into MusiRiver has made its condition terrible. The Corporation seems to keep a blind eye on the matter.

A local and senior citizen said, “The GHMC doesn’t provide enough garbage bins and sanitation staff in our area. We are forced to dump garbage in the River.” When Hans contacted ex-Corporators from five divisions to find out about their initiatives, they remain unavailable.