SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
HYDERABAD, MARCH 29, Global 360:
The State government’s ambitious ‘99-Day Action Plan,’ envisioned by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to streamline governance, appears to have hit a roadblock at the Saroornagar Circle office. Despite explicit directives to clear backlogs, officials here are allegedly sitting on files, turning the ‘File Clearance’ initiative into an opportunity for illegal gratification.
Record Pendency:
While the state observed “File Clearance Day” on March 7 to resolve long-standing public grievances, the Saroornagar Circle has emerged as a major outlier among the 60 circles under three municipal corporations. Sources reveal that while other circles maintain fewer than 50 pending applications for property tax revision, Saroornagar alone accounts for a staggering 191 applications.
Out of these, 60 applications have reportedly been processed but are still being reflected as “pending” in the system, while 131 remain completely unattended. With only two days left for the financial year to conclude, residents fear the imposition of heavy interest on arrears—a situation allegedly being exploited by officials to extort “speed money” from panicked taxpayers.
Mutations on Hold:
The situation regarding property mutations is equally grim. The circle reportedly leads the city with 59 pending mutation applications, whereas neighboring circles have limited their pendency to between 10 and 20.
Local residents allege a dual-track system: while common citizens who apply through Meeseva centres are made to run from pillar to post for months, files involving “special considerations” (bribes) are reportedly cleared within 48 hours.
Administrative Apathy
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) and the Assistant Municipal Commissioner (AMC) are at the center of the controversy, with citizens complaining of being caught in a game of bureaucratic “ping-pong.”
”When we approach the AMC, we are directed to the DC. The DC, in turn, shifts the blame back to the AMC,” lamented a local applicant. It is alleged that files remain stuck in the AMC’s login for months, and even after moving forward, they are stalled again at the DC’s level. Insiders suggest that subordinates remain tight-lipped due to the involvement of high-ranking officials in these unauthorized demands.
Misleading Superiors:
Further allegations suggest that the circle officials are misleading the Zonal Commissioner by submitting “all-is-well” reports, even when faced with notices regarding the high pendency rates. By suppressing the ground reality, they have successfully evaded departmental inquiries thus far.
As public outcry grows, residents of Saroornagar have appealed to the State government to intervene immediately and take stringent action against the erring officials to restore the integrity of the administration.
