Hyderabad: All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday, January 6, called for a skywalk to be constructed from Mir Alam Mandi metro station to Charminar in Hyderabad.
Stating the reason for the demand, the AIMIM supremo said that a large number of tourists visit Charminar, Laad Bazaar and other historical monuments in Hyderabad which could be economically beneficial for all.
Owaisi further asked the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMRL) managing director NVS Reddy to establish a similar skywalk from the metro station to the Salarjung Museum. He said that in all locations where the metro stations will be established, the evictees should be given priority in case they want to establish businesses in the metro station premises.
The Hyderabad MP thanked Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy for approving the compensation amount for evictees who have given up their properties for the development of the Old City Metro rail project.
Seeking time for the evictees to move from their current residence, Owaisi said, “I understand that it is very difficult for people to give up their ancestral homes and move to other location, I urge the government of Telangana to give them some time to relocate.”
He appreciated the HMRL for protecting 104 religious structures which are likely to be affected by the Old City metro rail project in Hyderabad. “Numerous religious activities including, Mild un Nabi, Ganesh and Bonalu procession take place at these sites. However, the progress of the Old City metro rail shouldn’t be hindered. Kindly look for alternatives so that the project is completed in the next four years,” he urged NVS Reddy.
The AIMIM chief further urged the Telangana government to complete the construction of the Airport Metro stating that roughly 8,000-10,000 youth travel to the Hi-tech City for jobs on a daily basis.
Asaduddin Owaisi accuses previous governments of neglecting Old City metro
While he appreciated CM Revanth for laying the foundation stone for the Old City metro project, Owaisi criticised the previous governments for neglecting the project. “Our well-wishers (in the political sense) used to say that the Majlis (AIMIM) is an impediment to Old City’s development,” he said.
The Hyderabad MP went on to say that the first inspection for laying the metro rail line was undertaken by the Telugu Desam Party government under the then chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. “However, they didn’t take the project seriously. After Naidu, Rajasekhara Reddy took over and initiated the work on the plan that was approved during the TDP government and so on five chief ministers went by before the Old City metro project began.”
Owaisi accused ex-Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao of neglecting the development of the Old City metro during his 10-year tenure. The AIMIM chief said he repeatedly urged KCR to initiate the project and stated that the topic would be diverted.
