Are upcoming polls a reason to provide metro rail connectivity to Old City, Congress asks BRS, AIMIM

Hyderabad: Telangana Congress Party accused Bharat Rashtra Samithi and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) parties of making false promises of metro rail connectivity to Old City. They demanded the reason for the delay in the metro project and the timing of the announcement right before the election.

On July 10, during a meeting with AIMIM leaders, chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced that the pending works of the Old City metro rail would be completed.

What has changed now?

“Are the upcoming elections a reason to provide metro rail connectivity to Old City? Why are the announcements made now and why was the work not completed when it was a part of the original project,” asked Congress leaders.

N Niranjan, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee senior vice-president said, “KT Rama Rao has said in his tweet that he has spoken to the chairman of L&T metro rail that the works must be taken up. Can he also tweet what the chairman replied? What is the stand of L&T?”

History of delay

Congress claimed that in a meeting on December 9, 2014, in an all-party meeting, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (current BRS) and AIMIM opposed the route change which led to the delay. “Isn’t it true that due to the delay, the memorandum of understanding between the government and L&T has expired?” asked Niranjan

Original plan of Metro Rail

In the original plan which was implemented by the previous Congress government in 2009, the metro rail connectivity was guaranteed for Old City, the party said.

Hyderabad District Congress Committee (DCC) President Sameer Waliullah said, “L & T has carried out the ground survey of the project and mapping of the stretch from MGBS bus station to Falaknuma. This corridor was part of the Green Line. This was done by December 2022. Despite the allocation of funds to the tune of Rs 500 crores and the completion of the survey, the work didn’t start. This lack of action indicates a lack of interest in extending the metro rail to Old City.”

Waliuallah said, “Why does CM KCR have the need to speak to the chairman of L&T when the work is already approved?” Both CM KCR and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi must apologise to the residents of Old City for the prolonged delay in metro rail connectivity, said Waliullah.