HYDERABAD: BJP Corporator V. Sravan Kumar from Malkajgiri has highlighted significant flaws in the GHMC's online trade licence system. Sravan demonstrated these issues by obtaining a trade licence under the name of Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi for a fictitious business called "drugs mart in Congress." He applied online, paid the requisite Rs 300 licence fee and Rs 50 green fund for 2024, and received a licence in the mayor's name.
Upon inspection, GHMC officials found that Sravan had used invalid and irrelevant documents, leading to the blocking of the Trade Identification Numbers (TINs). Sravan recorded the entire online application process, including a photo of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and the fictitious business name. He included a disclaimer stating that his intent was solely to expose systemic faults rather than for any ulterior motives.
Sravan has called on GHMC to address these issues, such as the lack of field verification before issuing trade licences, to prevent future errors.
Previously, Sravan had also exposed that PTINs for property tax assessments were being generated using white papers uploaded online under the name of Gadwal Vijayalaxmi.
In response, GHMC confirmed that the trade licence was issued with invalid documents under the name of Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi and the business name "drugs mart in Congress." Following verification, the TINs were blocked. GHMC commended Sravan's efforts to strengthen the system, noting that the application process has been streamlined with instant TIN generation and a 15-day verification period. The updated process eliminates the need for applicants to approach GHMC staff or intermediaries, reducing trader hassles. Any issues discovered during verification will result in the automatic blocking of the TIN.