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Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
GHMC plans tribunal to tackle issue of unauthorised constructions
Hyderabad: The state govt has decided to set up a municipal tribunal for speedy disposal of cases pertaining to unauthorised constructions, in the wake of a surge in illegal construction activities throughout the city. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The move assumes significance in view of the nearly 2.5 lakh writ petitions pertaining to illegal constructions filed in the high court in the past five years. Earlier, the high court sought a clarification from the civic body regarding the increasing number of illegal constructions, and instructed authorities to take stringent measures to tackle the problem. 'A letter has been addressed to the high court for nomination of judges for the post of chairperson of the tribunal. The tribunal is going to be set up by the end of this month. This judicial tribunal will operate independently, handling all the subjects entrusted to them in the GHMC Act,' a top official in the municipal administration & urban development (MAUD) department told TOI. As per Telangana Municipal Building Tribunal Rules, 2017, a provision was made in the GHMC Act, 1955 for the constitution of a judicial system. The tribunal will consist of a chairperson and up to eight members, as determined by the state govt. The members will consist of judicial members and technical members. The chairperson can constitute one or more benches, with each bench comprising at least two members, one of whom will be a judicial member and the other a technical member. The chairperson or a judicial member will be a serving or former district judge, while the technical member will be a serving or former officer at the level of director in Telangana Town Planning Service. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 50% of complaints related to town planning In fact, the GHMC has been witnessing nearly 50% of grievances on unauthorised constructions during the Prajavani programme held every Monday. The civic body has terminated 27 engineers working on an outsourcing basis in town planning from service due to their alleged involvement in corrupt practices.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Safety norms go up in smoke, officials seek more teeth to fire Act
1 2 Hyderabad: Just a few days before the Gulzar Houz fire on Sunday which claimed 17 of a family, Telangana fire department had sent a proposal to the state govt seeking amendments to the 'toothless' Telangana Fire Service Act-1999 to make it stringent and hold people accountable. The current norms are easy to bypass and penalties are so low that it does little to stop violations even when there are deaths, fire officials said. As per the current Act, a fire department NOC is required only if the height of a building exceeds 15 metres (commercial) and 18 metres (residential). Fire department also has a say in buildings of public congregation such as schools, theatres, function hall and religious places but only if they are above 500 square metres and 6 metres or more in height. The department wants to change all that and make an NOC mandatory for all commercial entities in 300 square metres irrespective of their height. This, however, will still not cover small shops built cheek by jowl in commercial areas. Fire officials said the current Act has tied their hands and cited the 2022 Bhoiguda scrap godown fire where 12 workers had died. Though police filed a chargesheet against the owner and godown operator under IPC section 304 (ii) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), the fire department did not initiate prosecution under the Fire Service Act as the rules didn't apply to the entity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mix 4 Kitchen Ingredients, Wake Up Thinner Every Morning Health Now Undo "For instance, a business entity may be spread over 1 acre but with less than 15 metres in height. They don't need a fire NOC as per the existing Act. Several chemical industries and gas godowns don't need a fire NOC since they operate from premises below 15 metres in height. In the proposed Act, commercial entities operating in 300 square metres area irrespective of height would need fire NOC. We also suggested to the govt to bring in rules for public to go for self-certification through fire auditors," said a fire department official. The proposal was prepared by the fire department after a series of discussions with team of experts from municipal administration and urban development (MAUD) department, Fire & Security Association of India, Credai and law department. They also want the penalties increased. Currently, in case of fire with fatalities, the existing punishment is 'up to three months or fine of Rs 25,000 or both'. Officials want it increased, where there is criminal negligence, to up to five years and a fine like in fatal road accident cases under section 106 (1) of BNS. In the case of non-fatal fire accidents, the department wants the fine enhanced to at least Rs 50,000. "In the existing Act, even if people die in a fire due to the company or building owner's negligence, the accused gets away by paying a fine. We want to change that in the new Act." For instance, on Nov 6, 2007, a worker died and two others suffered injuries in a fire at a pharma company in Pashamylaram in Patancheru. Under the current Act, a local court in Sangareddy convicted the deputy general manager and the plant manager but they were merely fined Rs 15,000 fine each. Similarly, on Oct 21, 2006, three workers of a jewellery store died in a fire at a multi-storied building in Somajiguda. Here too a local court in Nampally imposed only a fine of Rs 15,000 on the MD and the manager.
New Indian Express
13-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Speed up urban civic works ahead of monsoon: Andhra Minister
VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development P Narayana on Monday held a video conference with Municipal Commissioners, directing them to accelerate key civic operations ahead of the monsoon, and enhance urban governance. The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary S Suresh Kumar, Director Sampath Kumar, Swachhandhra Corporation MD Anil Kumar Reddy, and several Commissioners. Emphasising monsoon preparedness, Narayana urged officials to complete drain desilting works to prevent flooding and avoid accidents caused by overflowing open drains. He also instructed them to ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water in urban areas until the monsoon. Expressing concern over the rising street dog population, the MAUD Minister stressed the need to intensify Animal Birth Control (ABC) operations to ensure public safety. To strengthen urban infrastructure, Narayana called for the swift issuance of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) bonds in Tirupati, Visakhapatnam and Guntur. Highlighting revenue generation, he directed municipal bodies to intensify property and other tax collections. Additionally, he urged frequent inspections of Anna Canteens to maintain quality of food and hygiene. The MAUD Minister suggested implementing Chandigarh's greenery model of planting trees along city roads.
New Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Trupthi Canteen opened in Nellore for women's growth
NELLORE: The State government has launched its first Trupthi Canteen in Nellore city as a pilot initiative to empower women economically and promote eco-friendly practices. Minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) P Narayana said the project, launched under the Smart Street Programme in partnership with the SaRa Project, is a model for similar ventures across Andhra Pradesh. 'This first-of-its-kind canteen, launched in Nellore, aims to generate income for women while offering nutritious food to the public,' he said. A joint initiative by the Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) and the SaRa Project, the Tripti Canteen was inaugurated at Atmakur Bus Stand Centre. Encouraged by its initial success and growing income levels, MEPMA now plans to scale up the model across the district. Each unit operates from a 20x12 container provided by the government and consists of four women trained in kitchen and business operations. These canteens use electric appliances powered by solar energy under the Surya Ghar Scheme, aligning with environmental sustainability goals. The State aims to establish 700 Trupthi Canteens, engaging over 3,000 MEPMA-affiliated women. Each canteen will provide direct employment to four women and create additional indirect employment, with each entrepreneur expected to earn at least Rs 30,000 per month. In Nellore, the canteen serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared by experienced cooks, offering both quality and affordability. The initiative also helps create sustainable livelihoods for self-help group women. MEPMA officials estimate a turnover of Rs 6.39 lakh for each canteen, with expenses amounting to Rs 3.92 lakh, resulting in a net income of Rs 2.46 lakh. Meal prices remain competitive with the open market, ensuring accessibility. MEPMA Project Director Radhamma, Nellore, said, 'This is the first Trupthi Canteen established in the state, right here in Nellore. It is generating good income. We plan to expand to more key junctions in the city, followed by canteens across corporations and municipalities.' The total investment per canteen is estimated at Rs 16.40 lakh. Of this, the four women partners contribute Rs 3.10 lakh each, totalling Rs 12 lakh, while MEPMA and the SaRa Project fund the remaining amount.
New Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
CS orders swift completion of Hyderabad infra projects
HYDERABAD: In a bid to ensure the timely completion of urban development works, Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao (KR Rao) reviewed the progress of several major infrastructure projects across Hyderabad on Sunday. He first inspected the foot overbridge (FoB) nearing completion at Banjara Hills. MAUD Secretary K Ilambarithi informed the chief secretary that 42 FoBs are currently operational across the city, while surveys are underway to identify additional locations for new ones. Later, KR Rao reviewed the ongoing road widening project from Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) to Chandrayangutta, being executed as part of the Hyderabad Metro Rail expansion at a cost of Rs 2,741 crore. Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) Managing Director NVS Reddy informed him that land acquisition and demolition of affected structures are progressing. The CS also visited Khursheed Jah Devdi in Hussaini Alam to inspect its conservation and restoration works. Other sites inspected included the Moosarambagh flyover, Falaknuma RoB and the Amberpet Sewage Treatment Plant. During his inspections, RK Rao directed officials to speed up the execution of works without compromising on quality. He was accompanied by GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan, HMDA Commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmed, HMWSSB MD Ashok Reddy and officials from various civic departments.
