The Hindu               18.02.2014

GHMC office to turn swanky

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) head office will soon acquire a swanky corporate look complete with reception areas and meeting halls for visitors.

A brand new seven-storied complex is being proposed to be built adjacent to the existing building. It is likely to cost Rs. 11 crore. Both the structures will be connected with ramps. Somesh Kumar, who took over as Commissioner a few months ago, has drawn up an ambitious plan to add around 77,000 sft space to the existing office building complex.

This move is set to address haphazard vehicle parking in the head office. More than 11,000 sft will be set apart for the purpose. “The entire ground floor of the present building will be earmarked for parking. A floor in the new structure will be given to provide ample space for vehicles,” said Mr. Somesh Kumar.

The GHMC Standing Committee has approved the proposal, which has been forwarded to the government. Pending government approval, building designs and other issues are being sorted out. It has been decided to go for pre-fabricated construction technology so as to complete the work at the earliest. “This is a public office and a long-drawn construction work will cause inconvenience to all,” an official pointed out. The new office complex would match the contemporary corporate outlook with a public interface space on each floor. “A citizen visiting our office should get a warm and welcoming feel ,” he added.