MLAs face public wrath over bad roads

HYDERABAD: City MLAs are facing the wrath of voters after heavy rains extensively damaged roads in nearly all constituencies. With no funds released from the government for restoration work, and voters blaming them for inaction, many MLAs have been left in a quandary about the way forward.

Roads in almost all 24 assembly constituencies have been severely damaged making vehicular movement a nightmare. Broken sewerage lines and storm water drains only add to the mess, while heaps of garbage lie unattended.

“When the damage done is unprecedented, then the action plan for restoration should have been equally comprehensive. Leave alone thinking of a plan, the government has not even called a meeting of city MLAs to take stock of the situation,“ said

NVS Prabhakar

, who represents

Uppal

in the assembly.

With the government neither taking legislators into confidence nor taking up work in earnest, MLAs feel they cannot face voters. “We are answerable to our voters, but there is no one in the government to answer our pleas. While it is near impossible to get chief minister's appointment, even ministers representing the city are not accessible to the legislators,“ said Prabhakar. According to him, his assembly segment requires at least Rs 50 crore urgently for restoration and repair work. However, pleas regarding funds have only fallen on deaf ears, he said.

MLAs are entitled to Rs 3 crore grant under constituency development fund. Release of funds is usually done in parts over a financial year and the amount is to be spent on other work also including constructing of community halls and maintenance of parks.

KP Vivekananda Goud, the MLA from Quthbullapur, which is among the worst-hit assembly constituencies, said he had received Rs 75 lakh under his constituency develop ment fund which had been exhausted much before the rains began.

“The constituency development fund comes to us in instalments, and we cannot bank on it for the rain damage. Over Rs 10 lakh had been released for taking up small work such as filling up of potholes and removing garbage. We have sought Rs 5 crore for bigger work such as constructing culverts of na las and giving a permanent facelift to the roads. We hope the funds will be released , soon,“ said Goud.

While minister for mu nicipal administration and urban development K T

Rama Rao

was seen vis iting affected areas and leading a team late into the night when the flood situation was at its peak last month, MLAs, com plain the minister is now inaccessible.

The demolition drive the government embarked on to clear encroachment of nalas and lakebeds is another problem the MLAs have been facing. Voters are questioning the govern ment's rationale of pull ing down structures of the poor while turning a blind eye to those of the rich. “Our voters are asking the right questions. They want to know why the government is ignoring bigwigs who have really encroached lakes.l Buildings which are being demolished belong to the poor. We are in no position to answer these questions,“ said Prabhakar.