Hyderabad: Welcoming chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s proposal for the Airport Express Corridor, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) political affairs committee convener Mohammed Ali Shabbir took a dig at the state government of holding a record for the highest number of incomplete projects.
In a press statement released on Monday, Shabbir asked, “We welcome the state government’s proposal for the establishment of a 31-km long Airport Express Corridor although we suspect its completion as KCR only believes in laying foundation stones and not actual completion of projects. the state government holds a record for the highest number of incomplete projects. However, before laying the foundation stone for this project, CM KCR must clarify why the metro rail works in the Old City have not started.”
Shabbir said it was during the former chief minister of United Andhra Pradesh, the late Dr Y S Rajashekhara Reddy’s tenure that the foundation stone of the metro rail was laid in 2005.
“The project would’ve been completed on time, but the KCR government delayed it by raising unnecessary objections on the route. Originally, it was proposed to connect the Old City with the metro rail from Jubilee Bus Station in Secunderabad to Falaknuma. As TRS and MIM never wanted the Old City to develop, they ensured that the proposal remained on paper,” he alleged.
The Congress leader alleged the state government, in connivance with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has been neglecting Old City’s development.
“The Setwin, a self-employment training agency, is headless since 2018. It has become almost defunct. Similarly, no funds or projects have been allocated to Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority after TRS came to power in 2014. Many institutions have been reduced to letter-head entities with no staff, funds or projects,” Ali Shabbir alleged.
The Congress leader also questioned AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s silence over the TRS government giving less importance to Old City.
“Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency is represented by Asaduddin Owaisi and six out of seven MLAs are from the Old City. Why are they not holding a protest against this discrimination by the government?” Ali Shabbir asked.
