Corporate Encroachments: Letter to the GHMC, Comm.

Kanthimathi Kannan
The Right to Walk Foundation
12-2-709/A/22
Karol Bagh Colony
Hyderabad – 500028
Phone: 23510710

Sept 30, 2008

The Commissioner
GHMC
Hyderabad

Dear Sir
Subject: Policy decision needed for non availability of parking for Giant Retail Outlets

The Right to Walk Foundation has been filing petitions regarding the non availability of parking space in four retail outlets. These petitions have been filed from Feb 1, 2008 onwards, under the RTI act, 2005.
1. Reliance Fresh on the road from Masab Tank (main road) to SD hospital,
2. Vodaphone at the Mehdipatnam (next to SBI, Rhythu Bazaar),
3. The retail outlet called MORE (earlier called Trinethra) (Mehdipatnam Chaurastha)
4. The ICICI Bank ( Mehdipatnam Chaurastha)

The GHMC on its part has given responses stating with proof the availability of parking for three (not given for Vodaphone) of these outlets. We have in turn filed our response on June 20, 2008, and also sent several mails to the commissioner’s office regarding the same issue. No action was taken. Again we have filed a petition on July 3, 2008 with the then Addl Comm. Traffic and transportation (Mr. NVS Reddy). No action was taken.

On July 30, 2008, we have filed regarding the same issue but NO ACTION. Again on Aug 21, 2008 we have filed a petition only regarding one of the outlets and we find that still NO ACTION has been taken.
What is interesting is that we have also filed a police reply dated Feb 28, 2008 along with each of the reply petitions from April 2008 onwards but the GHMC officials do not seem to be looking at the police reply and taking action.

Initially when the permission has been granted by the GHMC, these Retail outlets probably showed the parking availability in the cellar and got the necessary trade licenses but along the line, these cellars are actually used for residential parking and parking in each of these cellars for customers is prohibited.
We are also enclosing the GHMC letter that gives the details of the parking requirement of Retail Outlets.

The need of the hour is for the GHMC Commissioner to take a policy decision regarding non availability of parking by Giant Retail Outlets. The question here is not only regarding these four retail outlets but the issue is much larger and needs a policy decision to be taken at the Commissioner’s level.


Even recently there has been a spurt of licenses issued to Outlets like, Spencer’s, Kakatiyanagar,( Near Nanal Nagar Chaurastha), Bowl of China outlets , ( one under the Masab Tank Flyover and the other near Laxmi Nagar Chaurastha, Khadar Bagh).

The Spencer Outlet claim to have parking but the question is it that adequate? And also why should the common man suffer because of the Big Retail Business?
The issues are as follows:

Should Retail Giants have parking of their own? Or is the GHMC planning to provide parking for these big companies too?
What is the parking space rule that needs to be followed by each of these retail outlets? Is it according to the G.O. Ms. No. 86, M.A. dated 03.03.06 or it is going to be modified?
Are the footpaths in front of all retail outlets that face the road, clearly marked and specifically made as access paths? (Here retail outlets include all the shops and establishments)
Is parking on the footpath regarded as parking space or has the GHMC ear marked parking space in each of the Big Retail Outlet?

We sincerely hope that this petition will make the Commissioner’s office take action and ensure that such large business houses do not function if they are not able to provide parking for their customers.


Regards




Kanthi Kannan
The Right to Walk Foundation
www.right2walk.com


Enclosures

Feb 1, 2008. RTI filed in the GHMC
Feb 28, 2008: AP Police reply
March 17, 2008: Petition filed with the Appellate Comm. GHMC
April 8, 2008: GHMC Reply to the RTI stating that Zonal Comm. to be contacted
April 15, 2008: Appeal filed again with the Chief Planner, GHMC.
May 5, 2008: Petition for RTI disclosure filed with the GHMC, Comm.
May 7, 2008: GHMC Reply regarding parking of Reliance, NMDC road.
June 20, 2008: Petition filed with the Comm. GHMC for action against the retail outlet
July 3, 2008: Petition filed with Mr. NVS Reddy (Traffic and Transportation), GHMC
July 30, 2008: Petition filed with the Comm. GHMC for action against the retail outlet
Aug 21, 2008: Petition filed with the Comm. GHMC for action against the retail outlet
G.O.Ms.86 dated 03.03.06