Impact of coronavirus lockdown: GHMC in deep financial crises

Hyderabad: Owing to coronavirus lockdown and other reasons which lead to delay in funds, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is struggling to pay salaries of its staff and pension of its former employees.  Due to the paucity of funds, it stopped making payments to the contractors.

According to the sources, the GHMC is facing a serious financial crunch due to the coronavirus pandemic and its ensuing lock-down.  The flood in the city and the GHMC elections further added to its financial woes as the officials were preoccupied with these issues and hardly had time to mobilize the funds for paying salaries of its own staff and maintenance of its offices. 

The civic body needs Rs.134 cr each month to pay the salaries of its staff and Rs.30 cr to maintain its offices.  It also needs about Rs.40 cr to clear contractors’ bills for the works related to the roads, drainage system, building construction, and other maintenance works.

For the maintenance works of roads and buildings in its jurisdiction across the city and its suburbs, GHMC requires Rs. 60-100 cr.