The Permissions ‘Panchayat’in Hyderabad Surroundings

– Must pay ‘price’ to take up projects in our locality

– We spent crores in the elections and you must compensate, to get approvals
– If failed, you cannot take up work

– Even Minister KT Rama Rao is unable to stop this harassment

– The Assembly approved TS-bPASS to issue all approvals within 21 days
– But elected representatives of local bodies least bothered

(King Johnson Koyyada)

There has been no instance of delaying permissions for the construction of multi-storey buildings and luxury villas within the GHMC area. Some developers are proud to say that they got all approvals without any additional expenditure for bribes other than taxes. But the situation is altogether different in municipalities and corporations in HMDA limits. The files do not move forward without bribes, even for genuine projects.

Many developers have complained that corruption in local bodies has become unbearable since the formation of Telangana. Local elected representatives including Mayors, municipal councilors, ward members, sarpanches, deputy sarpanches and others as well as local TRS leaders, are harassing the developers for their ‘share’ (read bribes). They are doing this either together or separately dealing themselves with builders.

Telangana Municipal Minister KT Rama Rao has been campaigning that building permissions will be granted in Telangana within 21 days, which is nowhere else in the country. He has been claiming proudly to many national and international delegates at various conferences, that such a system does not exist anywhere in the country and no other State was sanctioning permissions so quickly. His intention is good as his firm determination is to bring about revolutionary changes in the municipal sector. But, what is actually going on at the ground level?

Local elected representatives are harassing the developers for bribes. Municipal councilors, ward members, sarpanches, deputy sarpanches and others are forcing the builders to run from pillar to post. Most of them have issued an unofficial Fatwa asking the builders to pay a fixed amount for smooth construction of their projects, and those who fail to comply are being tormented. As a result, the builders are scared to launch a project in the suburban areas. In some areas, these builders are being treated like foreigners and are not being allowed to step into the respective localities without paying bribes to local politicians. Several builders are now wondering at the tyranny of local leaders for taking up projects in their own State.

Blood sucking parasites!

Builders in the construction business generally maintain good relations with local elected representatives. But in some places, some politicians are harassing the builders to get 10 times more money. Construction work is being obstructed, if it is not complied with their norms. Unable to bear their torture, several developers are even suspending work for two to three months.

Abandon the culture of plunder

Elected representatives of municipalities, corporations and panchayats need to realize that the funds which were not released for the last couple of years, can be easily realized if a local builder builds a project on two or three acres. Hundreds of developers are paying thousands of crores in fees to the government for the construction of apartments, skyscrapers and villa projects. With that revenue, the government is able to develop the infrastructure in the respective areas. They must shed the notion that builders are vicious. Instead, the local representatives must focus on the development of their area and end the culture of looting builders. After agriculture, the construction sector is a major employer and the entire society will be happy if this sector flourishes.

Thought process must change

Elected representatives must stop assuming that the builders who are doing business in their area, should be at their beck and call. Instead, they should realize that it is due to the construction work taken up by these builders that the locality has developed and through the taxes paid by them, the government is able to develop infrastructure like roads, streetlights, government hospitals, schools and other amenities. The construction sector also has a major role to play in the development of a locality. Only if the developers pay their registration fee promptly to the State government, GST to the Central government and permission fee to the local bodies, will the treasuries will have adequate funds and the respective areas can be developed with adequate infrastructure. It is wrong on part of local representatives to harass developers by forgetting such a crucial aspect of development. It would be foolish to want to harass and collect huge sums from the builders, claiming that they spent lakhs or crores of rupees to win an election. Hence, the State government should focus on this issue and curb the growing harassment of developers by elected representatives of municipal corporations, municipalities and gram panchayats. Only then will the construction sector flourish. Otherwise, the builders might get vexed and keep wondering why the situation has not changed even after formation of Telangana State.

Many developers are concerned about the rising level of corruption and are wondering if Telangana State was achieved for this purpose. Be it layouts, villas or apartments, most of the elected representatives have issued an unofficial Fatwa asking the builders to pay a fixed amount for smooth completion of their projects, and those who fail to comply are being tormented. As a result, the builders are scared to launch a project in the suburban areas. In some areas, these builders are being treated like foreigners and are not being allowed to step into the respective localities without paying ‘share’ to local politicians. Several builders are now questioning the tyranny of local leaders in the realty sector in their own State.