HDMC in throes of image overhaul

Source: HDMC website

People of Hubli-Dharwad will remember year 2006 for the breathtaking improvements in terms of basic infrastructure and civic serv­ices. The face of twin cities changed dramatically after the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) led by commissioner P Manivannan successfully initiated a number of development schemes.

Arterial roads and footpaths were developed according to current needs, pushing forward the twin cities on the road to progress. The HDMC, in spite of having a skeletal staff and funds, began initiating work on the beautification of the arterial roads, including development of new circles and road dividers.

With this, the investors' faith scaled new heights with unprecedented growth in real estate, shopping, entertain­ment and other booms. The HDMC also underwent a revolutionary change in its administrative performance during the year, spurred by its new state-of-art offices, effective e-governance and round­ the-clock control room.

The municipal corporation - tagged as a non-performing body for long - reinvented itself as a proactive and development-driven agency with the opening of new zonal of­fices, which was aimed at decentralisation of power.

The HDMC also launched various new schemes for the welfare of the residents and narrowed down the gap between HDMC employees and public. After having tasted great success in its antiencroachment drive last year, the HDMC authorities, in 2006, clamped down on building violations and initiated a major sealing drive targeting high profIle commercial buildings.

About 5,000 buildings in Hubli-Dharwad flouting building laws were detected and a stern warning issued. A repetitive crackdown on property tax defaulters also ensured a 10.fold increase in HDMC's revenue. The ambitious scheme of the HDMC to entrust the upkeep and maintenance of public parks to private agencies also reaped some good dividends. Of the 100-odd public parks in the twin cities, about 25 got a news lease of life.

Other than this, the year brought a major transformation in the attitude and functioning of HDMC employees, who were disciplined, motivated and encouraged with various incentives given by the government. On the negative side though, there was widespread resentment among the residents because of inordinate delay in implementing the ambitious Rs 30 crore-road project. The slow pace of construction work of footpaths and medians on various roads further tarnished the civic body's image to an extent.

The delay, which was a result of red tape and legal tangles, also gave way to extreme dust pollution in the twin cities, thus attracting wide­spread wrath from the public. The HDMC also miserably failed to solve the menace of stray pigs, cattle and dogs in spite of the ambitious schemes that were drawn up to tackle the menace.

The twin cities are infamous for its pathetic garbage ­disposal system, and it did not witness any great improvement even after the initiation of a door-to-door garbage collection system in some areas with modern transport collection and disposing vehicles.

The residents here stressed that the HDMC needed to do more than initiating a door ­to-door garbage collection system to ensure hygiene and cleanliness.