HDMC’s formula: If you want roads pay for them
Source: HDMC Website
Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, a progressive corporation in the state, has now come out with a novel idea that would not only help residents of newly formed layouts get roads but also reduce burden on the corporation.
Roads are an important basic amenity for residents along with drinking water and under ground drainage connection. At present most of the newly formed extensions do not have pucca roads as the HDMC does not have the money to lay roads.
Now HDMC Commissioner P Manivannan has proposed a formula which could address the problem of bad roads.
According to the formula, the HDMC will improve all interior roads in Hubli Dharwad provided residents contribute at least 40 or 50 per cent of the total road cost and the rest borne by HDMC.
Such a system is in vogue in Indore , Madhya Pradesh, where residents and the local body contribute their share for the laying of roads. The idea was quite successful in Indore City with residents of new extensions pooling money and having roads according to their needs. Such a system needs to be promoted in twin cities too. The commissioner told Deccan Herald that a pucca road would cost around Rs 50 lakh per km; but it was possible to lay one between Rs 10lakh and Rs 15 lakh depending upon the capacity of residents.
The corporation would take care of preparing an estimate and other procedures and give it to residents. The residents would have to discuss among themselves and pool money. Accounts would be maintained for each and every paise contributed by residents and there was no question of spending that money for other purposes. That kind of citizen-corporation friendly scheme had to be taken up on a big scale to solve the problems of basic amenities, he said.
He pointed out that the state government had allowed such citizen participation schemes with regard to development of lakes, parks, schools and gardens. The same would be extended to roads too.
Under the prevailing circumstances, the scheme would definitely benefit residents who want good roads in their extensions. "The ball is in their (residents) court and it is up to them to receive it or not. Or else they will have to wait till the HDMC lays roads whenever it gets money" .
