ORR case: Telangana HC links transfer of Rs. 7,380 Cr to PIL outcome

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court on Wednesday said the transfer of Rs.7,380 crore from HMDA to the state government will be subject to the outcome of the Public Interest Litigation (PIL).

A division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar were hearing the PIL of Kanugula Mahesh Kumar. The petitioner has sought a direction to the state government to furnish material information about the Nehru Outer Ring Road Toll Operate and Transfer project.

Avinash Desai, senior counsel appearing for Kanugula Mahesh Kumar told the Court that the BRS government awarded the Toll Operate and Transfer Tender for the Nehru Outer Ring Road project to IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited and IRB Golconda Expressway Limited for a concession period of 30 years without disclosing the initial estimated concession value.

He said GO dated April 27, 2023, permitting transfer of the total concession amount of Rs.7,380 crore to the state government is in contravention to Section 40 (1)(c) of the HMDA Act, 2008 and is in sheer violation of the statute.

The Act clearly says that the money received by HMDA from the disposal of lands, buildings, and other properties, movable and immovable shall form a part of the Metropolitan Development fund and such an amount should not be transferred to the state government, rather the amount should be utilized to take up developmental activities in the HMDA limits.

Advocate General Banda Shivananda Prasad told the Court that the money was always available and sought time to argue the case.

After hearing the contentions of both parties, the court adjourned the case to October 10. The Court made it clear that the transfer of the concession amount of Rs.7,380 crore to the state government will be subject to the outcome of the PIL.