Telangana seeks allocation of Rs 7,778 cr in union budget for MAUD works

Hyderabad: Telangana State has sought Rs 7,778 crore allocation in the upcoming union budget as the Central share for various projects taken up by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department in the State. In a letter to union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, MAUD Minister K T Rama Rao sought the funds for […]

Hyderabad: Telangana State has sought Rs 7,778 crore allocation in the upcoming union budget as the Central share for various projects taken up by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department in the State.

In a letter to union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, MAUD Minister K T Rama Rao sought the funds for various projects including Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), a Metro Neo network along the KPHB-Kokapet-Narsingi corridor, Warangal Metro-Neo project, Strategic Road Development Program (SRDP) Phase -2, Musi River Front Development and East West Expressway, development of elevated corridors, STP Projects, phase-1 within Hyderabad, sewer network projects, STP projects covering upto Outer Ring Road (ORR) and construction of missing link roads in the city.

Giving details of each project for which funds were sought from the Centre, Rama Rao said preliminary estimates for the MRTS was Rs 3050 crore, and he sought sanction of 15 per cent of the project cost that works out to Rs.450 crore.

The Minister pointed out that the MRTS will extend to about 30 km with an expected ridership of five lakhs by 2030. This will also have connectivity with the proposed Airport Express at Narsingi and with the existing Metro network in the Financial District, he said.

Seeking Rs 184 crore (20 per cent) for Warangal Metro-Neo project, the Minister KTR said this project would be a major milestone in public transport in a Tier II city.

“The State government is exploring the possibility of manufacturing Metro-Neo coaches in Telangana in conformity with the Centre’s policy of “Make in India” and “Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan,” he said.

He said the State government has embarked on several initiatives like Strategic Road Development Program, Model Corridors Development and Hyderabad Road Development to improve the transport network not only in Hyderabad but in Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration (HUA). There are a total of 22 missing link roads that were taken up and completed, while another 17 such link roads are at various stages of completion.

“To extend the missing link connectivity Improvement and comprehensive development up to ORR including the surrounding ULBs, a total of 104 additional corridors have been identified to be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 2,400 Crore. These connecting roads are proving to be the lifeline of urban mobility,” he said, and requested the union government to support the State government by providing for Rs. 800 crore that works out to a third of the project cost.

Explaining the need for other projects under SRDP and its importance in building road network to boost economic growth of the nation, Rama Rao requested sanction of funds for the projects. “The SRDP, based on a Comprehensive Transportation Study (CTS), has identified high priority road project for Greater Hyderabad which comprises skywalks (100 km), major corridors (166 km), major roads (348 Km), other roads (about 1400 km) and grade separators/flyovers keeping in mind the larger vision of making Hyderabad a Global Smart City and the future needs.

Under the first phase of SRDP, an amount of Rs. 5937 crore was raised by term loan from financial institutions and from sale of Municipal Bonds and the same is nearing completion. An East-West connectivity along the Musi River providing connectivity along the Musi River would be a mix of skyways (by raising pillars on Musi River) and 16 kms of at-grade roads on both sides of Musi, he said, adding that the tptal project cost was Rs.11,500 crore.

The Minister also sought funds for the following six lane elevated corridor from Paradise Junction (at Gymkhana Grounds) to ORR Junction near Shamirpet on Rajiv Rahadari, and six lane elevated corridor from Paradise Junction to ORR Junction near Kandlakoya on NH 44. “The matter regarding land involved for this elevated corridor is under consideration with the Ministry of Defense and the total project cost is about Rs.9000 crore excluding land acquisition cost,” the Minister said.

The DPRs for phase II of SRDP said the estimated cost would be Rs 14,000 crore and this includes improvement of important roads, construction of flyovers and underpasses for smooth connectivity and widening of important roads, he said, and urged for allocation of Rs 3,450 crore (10 per cent).

Highlighting the need for a stronger sewerage network in Hyderabad, Rama Rao explained the ambitious Comprehensive Sewerage Master Plan (CSMP) taken up by the State government. The CSMP includes construction of 62 STPs, laying of lateral sewer mains, branch sewer mains, trunk sewer mains for collection of sewage and conveying it upto the STPs.

The Minister said the total estimated cost of these STPs will be Rs 8,684.54 crore, and urged the union government to sanction one-third of the project cost, while the remaining will be met by the State government.

---

Now you can get handpicked stories from Telangana Today on Telegram everyday. Click the link to subscribe.

Click to follow Telangana Today Facebook page and Twitter .

---