Revanth Reddy lays foundation for elevated corridor; claims credit for Centre’s approvals

If Medchal has to develop, these elevated corridors are required. This will usher in development and IT and pharma companies will open their units. I thank the Union government for allotting defense lands to Telangana, Revanth Reddy said

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday alleged that it was due to the previous government’s failure to take a positive decision over allotting forest lands at Vikarabad for the naval station and extending the lease period of defense lands at Chandrayangutta that the elevated corridor project on Rajiv Rahadari got delayed.

With the land not being allotted, the Union government and Defense Ministry was subjected to inconvenience and the issue got further complicated, he said.

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Interestingly, the Chief Minister’s words were in contradiction to what Forest Minister Konda Surekha said in January this year, when she stated that the previous BRS government had agreed to allot the forest lands at Pudur and even issued orders to this effect.

The Chief Minister’s statement came after he laid the foundation for the 18.15 km Hyderabad-Ramagundam corridor (11.1 kms elevated corridor) that will come up at an estimated cost of Rs.2,232 crore.

The Chief Minister said when Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman (the then Defense Minister) was briefed in the past about the closure of Cantonment roads by the Local Military Authority, she had said that the State government was not cooperating with the Union government and the issue was getting further delayed. However, she intervened later and the roads were opened to the public, he said.

“After meeting the Prime Minister and Defense Minister recently, we clearly understood that the previous government had failed in addressing these long-pending issues,” he alleged.

“Accordingly, after reviewing with the State officials, a decision was taken to hand over 2,900 acres of forest lands at Pudur immediately to the naval station. This apart, 2,400 acres of other lands were handed over to the Defense Ministry, considering national security,” Revanth Reddy said.

In return, the Union government was requested to hand over defense lands for constructing the elevated corridor as it would facilitate development of Rangareddy and Medchal districts, he said, pointing out that land prices at HITEC City and near the Shamshabad International Airport had shot up to Rs.100 crore.

“If Medchal has to develop, these elevated corridors are required. This will usher in development and IT and pharma companies will open their units. I thank the Union government for allotting defense lands to Telangana,” Revanth Reddy said.

“As Malkajgiri MP, I had raised the issue of the elevated corridor with the Union government several times. I took up the issue with the Defense Minister and Secunderabad Cantonment officers, besides with the Defense Committee,” Revanth Reddy said, adding that officials had informed that the project got sidelined due to the previous government’s attitude towards the Union government.

Stating that the Congress government had a clear agenda in terms of State development, the Chief Minister said the Union government’s cooperation would be sought without any pretense and arrogance, irrespective of who was the Prime Minister or Defense Minister.

A representation was submitted to the Prime Minister seeking support for Metro Rail expansion, Musi River front development, the Tummidihatti project and defense lands for executing different projects and he had responded positively, he said.

“If the Union government does not respond positively to our pleas, we will put up a fight in the better interest of people,” Revanth Reddy said.

Claiming that Hyderabad got international recognition due to the previous Congress government’s works and projects, he claimed that River Krishna and Godavari waters were brought to Hyderabad by the earlier Congress government.

“Save for pubs, ganja and drugs, there was no substantial achievement under the BRS rule,” Revanth Reddy said.

Countering BRS working president KT Rama Rao’s reminders that the defense lands were allotted to the State government after repeated pleas, the Chief Minister said “I got the lands, how can he claim credit?”

He also wanted the BRS working president to stage a fast unto death at Dharna Chowk seeking funds for Hyderabad development.