Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation recently decided that it would hand over the responsibility to maintain 709 kms of roadways in its jurisdiction to private players.
Dubbed the comprehensive road maintenance (CRM) programme, it received the blessings of the state government.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has already called for tenders. It has divided high-density main roads into eight units.
In total, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation will pay the agencies Rs 1,827 crore annually; Rs 429 crore has been earmarked for the Khairatabad zone; Rs 344 crore for Secunderabad; Rs 312 crore for Serilingampally; Rs 269 crore for LB Nagar and Rs 183 crore for Kukatpally.
The contractors would have to maintain the roads in these eight units, build footpaths, clean and maintain greenery.
Deccan Chronicle asked Hyderabadis from all walks of life what they think about this move. Many said the idea was a good one.
They said privatisation would bring in efficiency and technical know-how to the process.
The sceptics said the devil would be in the details. One couldn’t predict the plan’s success without knowing how accountability would be shared between the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and the private players.
Critics, however, said the move would only lead to more corruption.
