K T Rama Rao instructs the officials to deploy additional staff to complete the pending works before the monsoon begins

Municipal administration and urban development (MAUD) minister K.T. Rama Rao lost his cool and questioned officials why some projects had remained incomplete despite having considerable funds.

In more than two years, city departments have completed less than half of the work.

At a recent review meeting, Rama Rao reportedly reproached the officials, saying that the unfinished works could become ammunition for the Opposition to criticise the ruling dispensation, particularly in the election year. The minister asked why the works had not been completed despite the availability of funds, time and manpower.

According to sources, 52 components entailing expenditure of about `985.45 crore were undertaken under the Strategic Nala Develipment Programme (SNDP). Of these, 33 were assigned to the GHMC on the city's outskirts, and 19 in the surrounding municipalities.

The nodal agencies completed 25 nala works. Authorities informed the minister that the work was completed where the land acquisition cost was low, but that they were unable to move forward in areas where it was



expensive to acquire land and few property owners expressed an interest in obtaining transfer development rights (TDR).

Not happy with this, Rama Rao instructed the officials to deploy additional staff to complete the pending works before the monsoon begins, as the government had already been receiving flak for the inundation during heavy unseasonal rainfall recently.

He contended that the government's image had suffered as a result of the indifference of officials. He warned officials of stern action if the SNDP works were not completed on time.

Official sources said that the city would inundation during the monsoon and they were taking up nala desilting as an urgent activity to ensure the free flow of stormwater.

Rama Rao reviewed SNDP Phase-II works  and instructed officials to finish complete them in mission mode. He directed officials to devise a strategy for the expeditious completion of Phase-II works, and told top officials to meet with municipal commissioners within the ORR limits to address any challenges that may arise.