Hyderabad: Transfer to this wing a penalty, feel civic staff

Charminar: The Town Planning Wing of GHMC Charminar (South) zone is struggling to take up or expedite developmental works, including road widening, nala development and other major projects. The reason: Staff crunch

According to the official sources, there are several developmental works in the south zone including Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP), Road Development Plan (RDP), nala widening, general road widening, stadium works are delayed due to the staff crunch.

As a part of developmental works in the old city, several major works are going on and most of them are recently sanctioned but are going on at a snail's pace and even getting delayed. "The sanctioned works are mostly road widening, demolition of structures both dilapidated and illegal, nala widening and other works.

For taking up these works at least 3 section officers are required at different levels. But only one officer is looking around the entire works of road widening projects and demolition. Staff crunch is the major reason behind the slow pace of work in the southern part of the city," according to a official source.

The source points out that in one circle only one section officer is doing the entire level of works including RTI, court cases, meetings, road widening, nala widening, demolition works, while there is a need of as many as 18 member staff at different levels of works. "How can a single officer look after the maintenance of entire circle and its works?" he questioned.

It is necessary that in each zone there should be five senior officers. "In other zones of GHMC, there are adequate officers, but in the south zone there are only 2 senior officers.

In each circle under one zone there should be ACP (Assistant city planner) and at least three section officers and the south zone Town planning department is running with only one section officer in each circle. In one circle there is even no ACP, the work is being done by the junior officer," the source explained.

There is a saying around in GHMC, "transfer of any of official to South Zone means a clear case of punishment," he said and added, "Due to lack of staff, each officer is undertaking the works of 3 officers.

Interestingly, in most of the circles in the south zone, the section officer is doing the works of superior officers and the senior officers are undertaking the works of section officers."