Politics hits GHMC gyms

The tussle between division-level political leaders to be one-up in maintaining the gyms launched by the GHMC in colonies has led to many of the facilities being locked.

The GHMC has launched nearly 100 of the proposed 135 gyms in the last six months in various parts of the city.

Minister K.T. Rama Rao had directed the GHMC to establish gyms in all the 150 divisions in the city in order to bring the facility to the poor and middle-class youth.

GHMC officials identified 135 locations for establishing gymnasiums and procured 21 varieties of equipment like treadmills, exercycles, four station multigym, incline benches, plate stands and others.

The GHMC sanctioned `10 lakh for each gymnasium and `5 lakh for basic infrastructure.

GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy said that in order to give responsibility of maintenance of the gyms to the locals, the corporation decided to hand them over to residential welfare associations under the supervision of the local corporator.

The maintenance and security of the gyms should be looked after by the colony welfare associations. The GHMC deputy commissioners and assistant engineers should monitor the gyms. For their maintenance, the colony welfare societies can collect a fee of up to `100.

At many places, the maintenance has shifted into the hands of political leaders. At many wards that are represented by non-TRS corporators, the majority of the gyms were shut, the outcome of the struggle for domination between political leaders over their maintenance.

The GHMC commissioner said that the issue had been brought to their notice and the civic body would review the matter for a solution.