SLBC tunnel collapse: Komatireddy tries to escape blame by accusing KCR of black magic!

Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy blamed KCR’s alleged black magic for the SLBC tunnel failure, while also accusing massive corruption in BRS-era projects like Kaleshwaram and claiming improving state finances

Hyderabad: Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy on Monday came out with the latest, and perhaps most ridiculous, attempt of the Congress to escape the blame for the SLBC tunnel collapse, accusing former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao of black magic at his farmhouse.

Eight persons were trapped alive in the tunnel after the collapse on February 22. After rescuing two bodies, the Congress government, which was accused of resuming the works on the tunnel without proper preparations or precautions, suspended the rescue operations abruptly in April.

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Komatireddy said it was due to the BRS party’s “maledictions” that the State government was unable to execute the SLBC tunnel works efficiently.

In an informal chat with media persons, he also alleged that there was rampant corruption during the BRS government’s rule and that nearly Rs.50,000 crore to Rs.60,000 crore was minted by engineers who worked under the Kaleshwaram project.

Even as a CAG report pointed out how the State’s fiscal health was not in good shape, the Minister claimed that the financial position of the State was slowly getting back on track.