Warangal Urban: After the district reorganisation, Mr Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was commissioner of the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation, was posted collector of Karimnagar district.
The government has not appointed a replacement, nor was an incharge put in place. Warangal is the second biggest city after the capital. With state and Central government schemes like Smart City Mission, AMRIT, HRIDAY, Heritage City schemes in the process of being implemented, an officer must be appointed to oversee the important developments of the city.
Most of the Warangal Urban district falls under the purview of GWMC. About 80 per cent population of the district lives within GWMC limits. Due to a shortage of IAS officers, speculation is rife about whether the next commissioner will be an IAS officer or a non-IAS officer.
Being an important municipal corporation, an IAS officer is more likely to be chosen for the post. Greater Warangal mayor N. Narender is also rooting for an IAS officer. However, there were reports that a section of corporators was lobbying for a non-IAS officer who would work according to their convenience.
Former joint collector of Warangal, Pausumi Basu is said to be in the race for the post. Ms. Basu has experience working here and has good knowledge of the city. She had worked as incharge commissioner for a brief period.
Being on medical leave, she was not given any posting during the IAS transfers. The names of other Group-1 senior officers such as Mr J. Shankaraiah, Mr Raghu Prasad and Mr Rama Krishna Rao are doing the rounds.
The government is likely to take a call regarding filling this seat within a week.
