INTRO: Responding to queries from TOI readers, RV Karnan, GHMC commisioner, says footpaths are being cleared of encroachments and new FOBs are being constructed to make Hyderabad pedestrian-friendly. There is also a plan to adopt the Singapore model to address parking woes.Q. Will parking woes in the city ever be resolved? How is GHMC planning to address this issue? – Mini NairWe understand that parking congestion is a growing concern in a rapidly expanding city like Hyderabad. To address this, GHMC is taking a multi-pronged approach, including on-street smart parking management, which was adopted in Singapore. We will launch this in Khairatabad on a pilot basis before extending it to other places in the city. Apart from this, several multi-level parking projects are underway at key commercial hubs like KBR Park and Charminar to increase capacity and reduce roadside parking. The civic body is also introducing smart parking solutions in collaboration with private operators using digital meters and real-time occupancy tracking through mobile apps.Q. Hyderabad remains largely pedestrian-unfriendly, and the situation seems to be worsening with footpaths being encroached everywhere. What measures are being taken to make the city pedestrian-friendly? – Mounika ReddyWe will ensure that every citizen has a ‘Right to walk’. As part of this, GHMC is taking up regular drives for the removal of footpath encroachments. The drives are also being taken up in coordination with the Traffic Police Department as part of Operation ROPE (Removal of Obstructive Parking and Encroachments). During the last year, nearly 7,500 encroachments were removed. GHMC also plans to take up drives every Saturday in each circle. In locations where footpath construction is unfeasible or congested, we are constructing 12 new FOBs. Additionally, plans are underway for a skywalk development near JNTU in the Kukatpally area.Q. There is a growing street dog menace within GHMC limits. While neutering is often proposed as a long-term solution, it does not seem effective. What alternative methods can address this problem? – Rohit ReddyStray dog feeding on streets has become a nuisance. Those who have affection for these stray dogs need to adopt them. We initiated a programme called ‘Adopt a Pet’ in selected public parks, and this scheme will soon be implemented throughout the city. To eradicate rabies and minimise the man-dog conflict, GHMC is implementing the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules-2023. Apart from this, GHMC is creating awareness and educating the public on dogs’ behaviour and do’s and don’ts in dealing with street dogs. GHMC has been arranging a large number of water bowls to avoid heat stress and thereby reduce dog bite incidents.Q. There have been several cases of pet dogs attacking pedestrians. Yet, many pet owners do not use muzzles and let their pets defecate in public places, leaving the surroundings unclean. How is GHMC planning to address this issue? – Venkatanarayanan SPet owners need to follow the guidelines issued by the Animal Welfare Board of India, Government of India, with respect to the use of leashes and muzzles in the interest of public safety and also to take care of the defecation of pets in public places to keep the surroundings clean. GHMC is creating awareness among pet owners on the above issues and is ensuring that all the pet dogs in its limits are registered. Whenever pet dog attack cases are reported, GHMC, with the help of police, takes custody of the dogs once the FIRs are filed. GHMC has made the pet registration process very simple and hassle-free. So far, more than 14,000 pets are registered with GHMC.Q. Is there a city-wide plan, with timelines, to take up proper resurfacing and structural maintenance of roads and flyovers? – T Kailash DityaPeriodic inspection of flyovers is being taken up. Based on the inspection reports, specialised maintenance operations are being carried out. The retrofitting and restoration work of the bridges is being taken up if severe structural distress is noticed. Ordinary maintenance operations such as cleaning of drainage spouts and joints, painting of exposed surfaces and steel members, tightening of bolts and fittings, repair of damaged railings, parapets, and footpaths, sealing of minor cracks, and pothole patching have been taken up.Q. Why are city roads full of potholes? Did GHMC repair any potholes before the monsoon this year? – Jahnavi VenkatAs part of the road safety initiative, extensive repair work is being carried out in the city, focusing on catch pits, potholes, and median repairs. Out of the total 9,000 potholes identified, over 5,000 were fixed. Potholes typically arise due to a combination of factors including prolonged water stagnation, sub-surface infiltration, aging road infrastructure, and repeated stress from heavy vehicular loads. The monsoon accelerates surface distress, especially in areas where utility cuts, drainage congestion, or sub-grade settlement are present.Q. Many parks in the city have had broken equipment for years. By when can we expect the damaged equipment, especially in Nampally, to be replaced? – Mohammed Abid AliYes, GHMC is aware that some parks have damaged play equipment, and we are already planning a detailed survey of parks to check the condition of play items, benches, walking tracks, and more. Once the monsoon is over, we will revamp parks in the city. In areas like Nampally, we are identifying such issues and will take up repairs or replacements in a phased manner. However, we request residents to help keep public property safe and clean. Citizen cooperation plays a key role in protecting community spaces and keeping parks enjoyable for everyone.Q. Why can’t Miyawaki forests be developed in small areas within parks to improve air quality? Does GHMC have any such plans? – Venkata SobhanGHMC has already developed Miyawaki plantations at 46 locations (covering all zones) across Hyderabad to improve greenery and air quality. Some key places include Public Gardens, Indira Park, Erragadda, Kukatpally, BHEL, and Chandanagar. If citizens suggest suitable open spaces, we will surely consider taking up Miyawaki forests there. We have also done block plantations in 545 parks and developed 1,049 landscape parks across the city.Q. Are there enough public toilets available, especially in crowded areas of the city? Are these accessible to people with disabilities? – Nagarajamani MVThe city has 2,251 public toilets, with 3,133 male seats and 2,740 female seats, adequately serving crowded areas. All facilities are designed to be accessible for people with disabilities, ensuring inclusivity. To address open defecation, the city has implemented regular sanitation patrols with penalties for violators, conducts awareness campaigns, and increased toilet construction in high-risk areas and construction sites, significantly reducing incidents. We have also decided to set up built-on-transfer (BOT) model toilets on all major roads across the city.Q. Officials proactively remove vendors from footpaths but ignore large buildings that occupy footpaths by installing transformers or other permanent structures. When can we expect them to be cleared? – Albert FernandesThe installation of transformers should be taken up within the premises of the building and as shown in the sanctioned plan of GHMC. In case of occupation on footpaths and brought to notice, action will be taken to remove the same. Further, there are instances where transformers are erected by the Electricity Department. In such cases, confirmation needs to be obtained and further action to be initiated.Q. Construction and demolition waste is carelessly strewn around in many areas of the city. Why doesn’t GHMC take effective steps and strict action against this menace? – Ravi KantDuring the field inspection by Town Planning and Sanitation wings, the C&D waste found illegally dumped is being penalised by levying penalties through the online CCMS module. Further, while granting building permissions, the applicants are made aware of the locations of C&D waste disposal with a defined procedure of transfer and payment to the C&D waste plant and also proposed to submit a C&D waste disposal certificate before coming for Occupancy Certificate.Q. I usually raise grievances through the MyGHMC mobile application and also post on ‘X’ tagging GHMC authorities, including the Commissioner. However, no authority responds. Why are citizens’ grievances not addressed? – Avinash IGHMC actively monitors and responds to grievances, including those raised on social media platforms like X. Every complaint raised through the MyGHMC App/Call Center/Prajavani/X is assigned a unique grievance ID, tracked with a defined SLA (Service Level Agreement), and both the citizen and the responsible officer receive regular SMS updates until photo evidence of resolution is submitted. I even personally respond to citizen concerns raised on both the MyGHMC App and X.Q. Why is GHMC never monsoon-ready? Why are services denied even though we pay all taxes? – Sujata NGHMC takes up desilting of stormwater drains throughout the year to ensure the free flow of drains/nalas and to prevent flooding of low-lying areas. After the monsoon ends, another round of desilting will be taken up. In order to ensure proper inter-departmental coordination between GHMC, Traffic Police Department, and HYDRAA Officials, teams were constituted to conduct joint inspections at identified water logging points and to analyse probable permanent solutions based on feasibility. To ensure the free flow of stormwater, we have provided additional catchpits and gratings for the free flow of surface runoff. The govt has recently issued instructions to HYDRAA to take up the responsibilities of monsoon activities, urban flooding, and disaster management in the GHMC area.Q. What is GHMC doing to address the plastic menace in the city? Why can’t GHMC form a team with citizen volunteers, like me, to tackle this issue? – Chaitanya PGHMC strictly prohibits the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of plastic carry bags, plastic packaging, and multi-layered packaging with less than 120 microns thickness. Nonwoven plastic carry bags with less than 60 GSM (Grams per Square Meter) and single-use plastics are also banned. GHMC is levying penalties for violating the above through the Comprehensive Challan Management System (CCMS) App. Further, GHMC is levying penalties– Rs.5,000 per instance, on violators for littering any type of plastics in public places. GHMC has already engaged volunteers/NGOs to address and conduct information, education, and communication (IEC) activities on plastic eradication. We always welcome and are ready to collaborate with citizen volunteers to tackle plastic issues.Q. Many streetlights in the city are non-functional, and colony roads remain pitch dark, putting drivers and residents at risk. By when can we expect them to be fixed? – CS BansalGHMC is actively working to improve streetlight maintenance across the city, especially in residential colonies. The contract with EESL ended on April 30, and now our electrical wing is handling streetlight repairs and monitoring. We will soon go for a new tender for the comprehensive maintenance of streetlights in the city. There are around 4.8 lakh LED streetlights in the city, and nearly 90% are glowing at any given time. Streetlight complaints are being monitored regularly and attended to on priority, especially during the monsoon season. We are working with a clear goal – to ensure zero pending complaints and well-lit streets for all.Q. Is GHMC going to continue with the bin-free city concept? How much money has been collected as fines from individuals or establishments in the past year for dumping garbage in public places, and how is this money being used? – Aditya KumarGHMC started the installation of ‘smart bins’ at select locations where garbage dumping has been a chronic problem since the removal of bins. At present, 768 Smart Bins have been placed at various GVPs across GHMC, and another 1,000 will be set up near commercial hubs in the city. These smart bins, equipped with sensors, will convey the status of the bin to the centralised control. A route map will be drawn each day for the garbage trucks to make trips to the bins nearing their capacity. A total of 4,274 penalties were levied in the past year, and Rs 24.8 lakh were collected as fines. The amount goes to the general fund of GHMC, which is further used as per need.Q. Does GHMC have a proper mechanism in place to ensure segregation of dry and wet waste? What steps are being taken to promote recycling and reduce landfill usage? – Anand KGHMC ensures household-level waste segregation through twin dustbins for wet and dry waste (44,25,968 dustbins distributed by GHMC), reinforced by daily door-to-door IEC campaigns on source segregation. To promote recycling and reduce landfill usage, GHMC conducts RWA meetings to encourage home composting, promotes zero-waste events for weddings and government programs, and operates RRR (Reuse, Reduce, Recycle) centres and Dry Resource Collection Centres (DRCCs) for recyclable collection at all transfer stations. Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs) manage wet waste via on-site composting machines. Additionally, a Waste-to-Energy plant further minimises landfill dependency.Q. Vector-borne diseases spike every monsoon. What measures has GHMC taken this year to control mosquito breeding? – Sanjana VGHMC is taking up all precautions for effective surveillance and control of mosquito breeding and the spread of vector-borne diseases. Regular anti-larval and anti-adult mosquito measures are carried out in 4,846 colonies. One Ward-One Day for ALO and fogging is being adopted for all entomology activities. Releasing Gambusia fishes and oil balls in all baby ponds and all mosquito breeding sites. ALO activities are being taken up with special focus on low-lying areas, cellars, and construction sites. Weekly anti-larval operations are being taken up as per the Pin Point Program (PPP) in domestic, peri-domestic mosquito breeding sources (house to house) every day covering on average 1.50 lakh houses.Q. There are many buildings coming up without proper setbacks or permissions. How many such cases has GHMC booked in the last year? – Karthik TejaIn certain cases, building permissions are granted with a mortgage of 10% of built-up area to GHMC. In case of deviations from the sanctioned plan, action will be taken as per the provisions of GHMC and TGbPASS Act. Further, in case of buildings which are constructed with 10% deviation, they can be compounded by paying a compounding fee. GHMC is cracking down on illegal constructions and unauthorised floors. We are also issuing show cause notices and speaking orders for going against the norms.Q. Despite annual flooding, many colonies do not have proper stormwater drainage. What steps is GHMC taking to map, widen, or clean these drains to prevent flooding? – Pradeep DGHMC is actively working to address the issue of flooding and improve the stormwater drainage network in the city. The engineering maintenance wing takes up desilting of stormwater drains/nalas throughout the year to ensure the free flow of drains/nalas to prevent flooding of low-lying areas, roadside stagnations, and traffic problems. For the year 2025, 203 desilting works are sanctioned for an amount of Rs 55 crore and are under progress. Further, new sanctions for stormwater drain works are being approved, focusing on areas that are frequently waterlogged.Q. Despite clear building rules, many shops and apartments use basements meant for parking as commercial storage or retail space. What action does GHMC take against such misuse? – Asha RAs per the usage permitted in the sanctioned plan, the owner/developer has to comply with the same. In case of deviation in the parking floors, action will be proposed for the removal of the same and restoring the parking area. Citizens can report through the grievance modules available on the GHMC website and app.Q. With Hyderabad expanding rapidly, how is GHMC ensuring that new layouts and gated communities receive timely civic amenities? – Anil VermaAs Hyderabad is growing fast, GHMC makes sure that all new layouts and gated communities get proper civic services. Before giving approvals, we check if the layout has good roads, proper drainage, and open spaces. Drainage works are being taken up in many areas, and new methods are planned to avoid waterlogging during rains. We are also adding many gated communities to our garbage pickup routes and complaint redressal system. We are working to make sure basic services reach on time, even in fast-developing areas.
