Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has accused the TRS Government of delaying the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project by almost four while causing a loss of nearly Rs. 4,000 crore to the State’s Exchequer.
Speaking to media persons after inspecting the Metro Rail works, along with other Congress leaders, on Wednesday Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the previous Congress regime had started the project, worth Rs. 14,000 crore, in 2008 and it was scheduled to become fully operational by 2014. However, he said that the TRS Government deliberately delayed the project on pretext or the other to prevent Congress party from taking the credit for the same. Just for some cheap political gains, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao deliberately delayed the project by almost four years causing huge loss to the exchequer. He said that the Chief Minister first obstructed the project by demanding change in alignment. Later, for unexplained reasons he gave nod for the same alignment. By changing his stance frequently, he delayed the project at several stages. Citizens of Hyderabad would have enjoyed the services of Metro Rail for almost three years now, if KCR would not have played politics and allowed the project to be completed in a time bound manner, he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also condemned the Hyderabad City Police and HMRL authorities for not permitting the Congress leaders to inspect the Metro Rail works.
Accompanied with Leaders of Opposition K. Jana Reddy (Assembly) and Shabbir Ali (Council), former unionoj minister Sarve Satyanarayana, AICC Secretary V. Hanumantha Rao, Hyderabad Congress president Danam Nagender, former MP M. Anjan Kumar Yadav and other leaders, Uttam Kumar Reddy first visited Sultan Bazar to inspect Metro Rail works. Later, they went to Metro Rail Station at Malakpet and then came to Lakdikapul. However, they were stopped by the police officials who contended that they could not be allowed to inspect the works. After consulting the L&T authorities, only five leaders were permitted to inspect the works.
Uttam Kumar Reddy asked as to why the HMRL authorities objected to the visit of Congress leaders. “As people’s representatives, we have every right to inspect the ongoing works of Metro Rail or any other project. The action by the police, HMRL and L&T authorities is highly objectionable,” he said adding that the Congress party, after winning next elections, would take stern action against the officials who are behaving like TRS activists. (INN)