Harish Rao accuses Congress of altering RRR alignment to benefit realtors

Former Minister T Harish Rao accused the Congress government of altering the Regional Ring Road alignment to benefit realtors close to CM Revanth Reddy. He warned that the changes would displace poor farmers in several districts and demanded an inquiry into alleged irregularities.

Sangareddy: Former Minister T Harish Rao on Monday accused the Congress government of committing a grave injustice to farmers by changing the alignment of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) for the benefit of real estate businessmen allegedly close to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and senior Congress leaders.

Speaking to farmers from Kondapur mandal in Sangareddy district, who are set to lose land under the revised RRR alignment, Harish Rao said the changes had affected villages including Girmapur, Tummarapally, Aliabad, Marepally, Rampur Thanda, Gotilagutta Thanda, Machepally Thanda, Shivvannagudem and Gangaram. The farmers had met him at his residence in Kokapet seeking support to save their lands.

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Pointing out that many of the displaced belong to SC, ST and BC communities, Harish Rao said they would be left without livelihood if their lands were taken. He alleged that the Chief Minister diverted the alignment through Vikarabad, Parigi and Kodangal to benefit himself and associates, reducing the planned distance between the RRR and ORR from 40 km to just 23 km at some points.

He warned that farmers of Gangaram and Shivvannagudem would lose all their land if the revised alignment is implemented. Despite repeated appeals, he said Revanth Reddy was unwilling to revert to the old alignment, while deliberately sparing real estate ventures owned by Congress leaders and their associates.

Harish Rao said the earlier BRS government had drawn the alignment to minimise damage to farmers, but the Congress had done the opposite. He added that the problem extended beyond Sangareddy, noting that in Choutuppal division of Yadadri-Bhongir, the RRR-ORR distance had shrunk to 28 km. He demanded that the government maintain a 40 km distance between the two ring roads on both southern and northern sides.

Accusing the Congress of acting against the poor for the benefit of realtors, he recalled that farmers in Polepally, Singapally, Sankatonipally and Malepally of erstwhile Mahabubnagar had already staged protests on the Srisailam–Hyderabad highway. He said Revanth Reddy continued to ignore their appeals.

Quoting the revised alignment posted on the HMDA website, Harish Rao said poor farmers across erstwhile Medak, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda and Rangareddy districts were losing lands. He reminded that Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi had promised to protect displaced farmers’ interests, but claimed the party’s government was acting against them.

Urging Revanth Reddy to honour promises of a fair rehabilitation and resettlement package, he cautioned that the Centre may withdraw support if the Congress continued altering the alignment, which would burden the State exchequer. Harish Rao also demanded that the government appoint an enquiry committee into the alleged irregularities.