HYDERABAD: Flooded with problems in not getting projects like construction of flyovers, road-widening and nalas completed in time owing to land acquisition issues, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation ( GHMC ) has decided to start an exclusive land acquisition wing.

The wing will be based on a convergence model with officials from various line departments working for it. “A police official, 20 National Academy of Construction engineers, a retired deputy collector and officials from revenue department will be part of the new wing and conduct land surveys,” said a top GHMC official.

Sources said after the special wing is constituted, GHMC will select one or two kilometres of stretch (for a day) where land has to be acquired. The revenue official will conduct the land survey and assess its value, while the police officer will take care of law and order issues. GHMC engineers will inspect the land site and collect details on the land to be acquired for the project. “Under this convergence model, there will be no delays in acquiring land. This will ensure fast-tracking of works,” said a GHMC official.

GHMC commissioner M Dana Kishore said the decision to set up the new wing was necessitated following delay in the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP) project costing Rs 25,000 crore and stormwater drain works.

Sources said the wing would be formalised once the GHMC standing committee and the government give their approval.

Presently, GHMC has a land acquisition officer but the field work to demolish and coordinate with other line departments is done by the civic body’s town planning department.

Once the land accusation wing becomes operational, it will be headed by a GHMC additional commissioner rank officer.

“The flyover from Jubilee Hills to Durgam Cheruvu, the flyover from Biodiversity junction towards Hi-tec City, the flyover at Gachibowli towards the central part of city and the Tolichowki to Malkam Cheruvu flyover are stuck because of land acquisition problems,” said R Sridhar, chief engineer of projects, GHMC.

