Hyderabad’s infra engine splutters as key projects stall under Congress rule

Nearly two years after the Congress government took charge in Telangana, Hyderabad has seen no major new infrastructure projects. Several key initiatives from the previous BRS regime remain stalled or shelved, raising concerns over traffic, flood control and long-term urban growth.

Hyderabad: Nearly two years after the Congress government led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy took charge in Telangana, Hyderabad’s infrastructure momentum appears to have slowed significantly, with no major new projects launched in or around the city. Several flagship initiatives taken up during the previous BRS regime remain stalled, raising concerns over the city’s growth trajectory.

For almost a decade until 2023, Hyderabad’s urban expansion was driven by a sustained policy push under former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, with then Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao overseeing execution. Flyovers, road networks, drainage upgrades and public transport projects progressed steadily. But over the past 25 months, the sense of direction appears to have weakened.

---

Notably, no major new infrastructure initiative has been announced since the change in government. Instead, at least eight key projects initiated or advanced earlier have been scrapped, shelved or left in limbo. Traffic congestion has worsened as the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP) has seen no fresh additions. Under the BRS, around 42 flyovers, underpasses, rail under-bridges and road-over-bridges were completed over nine years, easing pressure on key corridors.

Flood mitigation efforts have also taken a hit. The Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP), which was aimed at upgrading 36 major drains, was nearly halfway complete before 2023 and was scrapped after the Congress came to power, without an alternative plan. The fallout was visible during the last monsoon, with several localities facing severe waterlogging.

The Musi River Rejuvenation project, focused on sewage treatment and pollution control, remains frozen. Despite announcing an expanded plan with a projected cost of Rs 1.5 lakh crore, no groundwork has begun so far.

Other future projects have also stalled. The Regional Ring Road, where land acquisition had begun earlier, is yet to see a formal launch. Metro Rail Phase-2, which was approved for a 76-km expansion including the airport corridor, has been shelved with no clear roadmap.

Envisaged as the world’s largest zero-pollution pharma cluster with 14,000 acres acquired, Hyderabad Pharma City was also dropped and replaced with a Future City, whose feasibility remains uncertain.

Smaller but critical initiatives like missing link roads and the Comprehensive Road Maintenance Programme (CRMP) have also been halted, leading to deteriorating road conditions across Hyderabad.