City roads maintenance to private agencies opposed by Congress

Hyderabad: Congress has strongly opposed the proposal of handing over the maintenance of the city roads to private agencies. In a statement, PCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy said that the proposal was only aimed at benefitting the private companies and contractors and not at improving the conditions of roads.

"The GHMC roads remained neglected under TRS regime for the last five-and-a-half years. Not even 1 per cent of the total budget was spent on maintenance or upgradation of the civic infrastructure in the State capital.

GHMC has been continuously deprived of funds which deteriorated the condition of roads with each passing day. The quality is so sub-standard that they could not withstand a small spell of rains," he said.

The Congress leader asked Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao to first focus on filling up thousands of potholes on city roads and take up immediate repairs. He said instead of taking up measures on war footing to improve conditions, the Minister has been trying to divert attention from failures by proposing privatisation.

He pointed out that the Minister, while replying to a question in the recently concluded budget session of the Assembly, informed that the State government would spend nearly Rs 2,819 crores towards the development and repairs of roads in GHMC limits during the current financial year of 2019-20.

These funds must be given to the GHMC and not to the private agencies, he demanded. He alleged that the government not only wants to dilute the role of GHMC, but also aims to cut the jobs in engineering and other sections. He said it was surprising that the government desires to run the liquor business, but want private parties to handle the civic infrastructure.