ORR lease issue: HMDA reluctant to withdraw legal notice served to Revanth Reddy

HMDA made it clear that it was disinclined to withdraw the legal notice served on Malkajgiri MP on May 25

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) on Tuesday made it clear that it was disinclined to withdraw the legal notice served on Malkajgiri MP and Congress State president, A Revanth Reddy on May 25.

The HMDA had sought an unconditional apology from Revanth Reddy for his reported ‘false and defamatory statements on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) lease’.

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Reacting to a press note issued recently by Reventh Reddy, the HMDA said on Tuesday: “HMDA has strongly objected to the manner in which particular officers are being named by the Malkajgiri MP while casting aspersions and political motives on the functioning of the officers or an institution”.

“It is reiterated that, HMDA works under the guidance and directions of the State governments. The officers and departments work under the overall superintendence and the directions of the Council of Ministers and the State government, while carrying out their duties as per the rules”, the HMDA said.

The bid process of ORR Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) was carried out in the most transparent manner duly following the laid down norms for the TOT bid of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The bid for 30 years is in accordance with the decision of the Council of Ministers. Two bids of NHAI were finalized for a period of 30 years. It is not the first time that a TOT bid is done for 30 years, HMDA pointed out.

“All officers involved in the bid process carried out their job with transparency in accordance with the orders and within the frameworks of conduct of rules in the most neutral manner. The legal notice on May 25 was issued to Malkajgiri MP to withdraw all his allegations including some of which were meant to demoralize the officers who are merely carrying out their job judiciously and transparently,” HMDA said.

A reply to the RTI query by the Malkajgiri MP was submitted to him within the prescribed time line and there was no question of withholding any information regarding the ORR – TOT bid process, the HMDA clarified.

The HMDA further clarified that, it can’t be intimidated or browbeaten in the discharge of its official functions and would undertake all necessary actions for protecting itself and its officers by moving necessary legal action as deemed appropriate.