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

Revanth Reddy alleged that the previous government's “failure” to take a positive decision over allotting forest lands at Vikarabad for the Indian Navy’s VLF station and on extending the lease period of defense lands at Chandrayangutta had delayed the Rs.2,232 crore-elevated corridor project.

Hyderabad: Months after assuming power in the State, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday showed that he was yet to get over the habit of blaming the previous government for almost everything, and also of claiming credit for the work done by the previous regime.

Speaking after laying the foundation for the 18.15km Hyderabad-Ramagundam Corridor, of which 11.1km will be an elevated corridor on the Rajiv Rahadari, Revanth Reddy alleged that the previous government’s “failure” to take a positive decision over allotting forest lands at Vikarabad for the Indian Navy’s VLF station and on extending the lease period of defense lands at Chandrayangutta had delayed the Rs.2,232 crore-elevated corridor project.

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With the land not being allotted, the union government and Defense Ministry were subjected to “inconvenience” and the issue got further complicated, he claimed, also countering BRS working president KT Rama Rao’s statement that the defense land for the elevated corridor was allotted to Telangana after repeated pleas.

“I got the lands, how can he claim credit?” Revanth Reddy asked.

Interestingly, the Chief Minister’s words were in contradiction to what his own Cabinet colleague, 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.

He even quoted union Minister Nirmala Sitaraman on the closure of Cantonment roads, stating that she had said that the State government was not cooperating with the Centre. She had intervened later and the roads were opened to the public, he said, forgetting that the BRS government, former Minister KT Rama Rao in particular, had taken up the issue of the Cantonment roads several times with the Centre.

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

“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,” he said, adding that in return, the Centre was requested to hand over defense lands for constructing the elevated corridor as it would facilitate development of Rangareddy and Medchal districts.

“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 the Congress government would seek cooperation of the Centre “without any pretense and arrogance”, irrespective of who was the Prime Minister or Defense Minister.

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,” he said.