Double whammy for QQSUDA employees

Darulshifa: Following issue of a notice to vacate the QQSUDA (Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority) office, its employees and workers have decided to go on ‘department-wide’ strike from February 11. They are protesting against the GHMC move to hand over the location for taking Metro Rail project works, and are worried about their future. It is a situation of double whammy for employees who have already been fighting over irregular salaries.

The employees who have been anxiously waiting for their salaries are now faced with uncertain future as the authorities in the recent years not only neglected the Authority, but also their employees. Even as the employees are kept in the dark about their future, the GHMC issued a notice to the Authority to vacate its present building located at Darulshifa.

As a portion of the existing 3.5-acre land has been transferred to Hyderabad Metro Rail Authority (HMRL) for undertaking alignment in Old City area, the existing office and entire premises are also being vacated. “The structure is of historical importance and it is on the verge of being demolished,” rued B Anjaiah, a superintendent working since 1985.

Ever since the notice is received from GHMC, the employees are on tenterhooks about their future, as no other alternative place is shown by GHMC to set up the new office. During an inspection on January 7, GHMC Commissioner M Dana Kishore directed the officials to demarcate about 1 acre land and allot it to Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) for the construction of multilevel parking.
QQSUDA was founded in 1981 to undertake development works in Old City.

“The government is dismantling heritage building for a multilevel parking for use by HMRL. At QQSUDA, there are many buildings which are being dismantled viz., MCH store, administrative block, election storage room and the planning block, where maps of twin cities are stored. The officials issued notice to relocate the office, but no alternative site has been shown and the notice does not make any mention of the QQSUDA employees. What about the future of employees and where will their office be?” asked S Sanji, a junior assistant.

The employees of QQSUDA demand that the government either revive the fund-strapped board or merge it with the GHMC by scrapping it altogether. It may be mentioned here that, for the past one decade, QQSUDA has been slowly losing patronage from the government. With no funds for at least the past 6 years, the employees have been unable to receive salaries on regular basis. It has been more than 10 months since a higher official oversaw board proceedings, and currently, an official from GHMC is handling the proceedings under additional charge.

QQSUDA is the local authority under GHMC. It remained active until recently. It undertook projects such as roads, drains, compound walls and many of the major projects were undertaken by the authority ever since it came into existence. The activities of the board extend to areas as far as Toli Chowki. Major projects by QQSUDA include development of Deccan Park in Toli Chowki, Quli Qutub Shah Stadium in Petla Burj, Dhoolpet Stadium, Karwan Stadium, Dabeerpura Bridge, small RUB in Chaderghat and construction of government junior and degree colleges in Golconda and many structures of government schools.