CM Revanth orders SIT probe into ORR toll tenders given under BRS regime

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has announced that the State government would order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged irregularities in awarding the Outer Ring Road (ORR) toll tender during the previous BRS government.

On Thursday, the Assembly held a brief discussion on the state's debt, which resulted in a contentious argument between BRS Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao and deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka.

Harish Rao brought up the 400 acres of property that the Congress had given to the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) in Raidurgam from the revenue department. The land was worth Rs 75 crore per acre.

In return, Bhatti said, "The state government hasn't given the land to a private company like BRS did by giving away ORR tenders on lease for 30 years." Then, Harish said that if the state government did not approve of the tender, they should cancel the contract.

In the midst of the back and forth between the two, the chief minister got up and declared that the ORR toll lease will be investigated by the SIT. "I am ordering a SIT probe at Harish Rao's request," Revanth Reddy said. He also commended the efforts of Harish Rao for requesting an inquiry on the ORR toll tenders.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, the chief minister alleged that the toll tender of ORR was awarded without following due processes and said the modalities for the proposed SIT probe would be decided by the state cabinet.

"As demanded by the former finance minister (Harish Rao of BRS), a Special Investigation Team will be appointed as per the request of the main opposition party with regards to the tendering of Outer Ring Road. I am ordering an inquiry," Revanth Reddy said.

‘Cancel tender before probe’

Dismissing the chief minister's remarks that he asked for an inquiry, Harish Rao said his party welcomed the CM’s decision and asked the government to cancel the tender which was awarded to a private company, before the probe begins. He also alleged that the chief minister was trying to mislead the entire state.

In response to Harish Rao's suggestion, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy reminded him that the chief minister was not deceiving the public because an investigation was required before a government contract could be terminated.

Last year, when the BRS was in power, HMDA (Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority) invited global competitive bids for the Outer Ring Road project on a Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) basis, in which IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd participated and emerged as the selected bidder.

The firm in August last year said it made a payment of Rs 7,380 crore to the HMDA.