GHMC Expansion Will Streamline Building Permissions
Aims to end illegal permissions and give citizens easier access to officials
Hyderabad: The merger of 27 urban local bodies (ULBs) into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will streamline building permits, curb illegal constructions, put an end to the use of backdated Gram Panchayat (GP) permissions, empower citizens and ensure better asset protection, according to multiple stakeholders including citizens, officials, resident welfare associations, town planners, activists and architects.
After the areas were brought under the GHMC, several residents said that they can report their grievances at weekly Prajavani programmes and were also looking forward to town hall meetings.
“If there is only one umbrella body, all the building and layout permissions will be granted through BuildNow and, due to enhanced transparency and a change in the administrative pattern, the usage of backdated GP permissions will end,” said a municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) official.
A member from the resident welfare association said that, as surrounding urban local bodies (ULBs) don’t have centralised phone numbers like the GHMC does, they don’t even opt for self-assessment of property tax and online services.
“We depend on bill collectors, as we don’t have an online platform to reach out to officials to get our doubts clarified,” said K. Arvind Rao from Shiva Sai Colony, Bairagiguda.
A doctor from Manikonda mentioned that there were instances when the complainant’s name was disclosed to encroachers. “In small ULBs, keeping identity anonymous is very difficult. I experienced it when I reported a park encroachment,” he said.
- Applicants advised to complete and submit applications in TGbPASS by December 15.
- TGbPASS portal will be permanently closed after this date.
- The building and layout approval applications that come under GHMC, HMDA and Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) are being processed through BuildNow.
