GMDA studies other cities’ authorities to bring changes in Gurugram

A senior GMDA official said that in many cities, they have found that last mile services like issuing building licenses are being run by the metropolitan authorities, whereas authorities also have powers to levy taxes. All these different facets are being studied and those found useful will be proposed to be implemented in Gurugram.

To improve the civic amenities in the city, officials from the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) are visiting major cities like Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad and studying the functioning of their metropolitan bodies. Based on these learnings, changes will be incorporated after taking the state government’s approval.

Officials said that GMDA is carrying out this exercise on directions of chief minister Nayab Singh Saini . (FILE)

The officials are planning to go to Hyderabad next. A senior GMDA official said that in many cities, they have found that last mile services like issuing building licenses are being run by the metropolitan authorities, whereas authorities also have powers to levy taxes. All these different facets are being studied and those found useful will be proposed to be implemented in Gurugram, the official said.

“In the last few months, GMDA CEO A Srinivas and other senior officials have visited and observed the working of metropolitan authorities in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Pune. The team will soon visit Hyderabad and based on the inspections, a blueprint will be prepared on what changes can be introduced in the functioning of GMDA,” a senior GMDA official said.

Officials aware of the matter said that GMDA is carrying out this exercise after chief minister (CM) Nayab Singh Saini had issued directions that working of metropolitan authorities in four to five major cities should be studied before taking the call on transferring last mile water supply and sewage network to GMDA from the MCG.

Presently, the GMDA acts as the bulk water supplier to the city while the MCG manages the water supply to residential colonies and sectors developed by HSVP and private builders.

In many areas of the city, the water supply remains inadequate despite ample availability of water due to poor distribution network. Likewise in most sectors, the master sewage network is looked after by GMDA while the internal network is managed by MCG, which often leads to problems as both the agencies are rarely on the same page.