Key Facts
Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Wednesday advised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to stop blaming the Centre for delays in the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) expansion. Rao alleged that the state government's failure to provide clarity on key aspects such as operation and maintenance (O&M) and project management, particularly loan repayments, was the real cause of the hold-up.
Details of the Allegations
Addressing a press conference at the party's state office, Rao claimed that the Congress government was “incapable” of properly proposing projects. He pointed out that the pre-feasibility report, financial feasibility report, and Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Metro expansion “have not yet been submitted,” questioning how approvals could be granted without proper documentation.
Rao noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated HMR Phase-I and that the Centre had already granted “in-principle approval” for Phase-II. He dismissed as “completely false” the state government's charge that the Centre or Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy was “obstructing” the project by withholding technical approvals.
Political Theatre Alleged
Rao criticized CM Revanth Reddy for seeking Kishan Reddy's intervention to arrange further meetings despite having met the Prime Minister and Union Minister several times. He called the allegations against Kishan Reddy “political theatre” and accused the Chief Minister of misleading the public to divert attention from his government's lack of commitment to infrastructure development.
Infrastructure Growth Under Modi Government
Highlighting infrastructure growth, Rao said that Metro rail length in India had expanded from 248 km before 2014 to 1,155 km under the Modi government. He described the tenures of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi as a “golden era” for infrastructure and claimed that the Centre had extended support worth over ₹13 lakh crore for Telangana’s development.
What Readers Should Know
- The Hyderabad Metro expansion requires clarity on O&M and loan repayment from the state government.
- Key project reports have not been submitted by the state, according to BJP.
- The Centre has given in-principle approval for Phase-II but awaits proper documentation.
- BJP alleges the state government is using the Centre as a scapegoat for its own administrative failures.
FAQ
Why did Telangana BJP criticize CM Revanth Reddy?
Telangana BJP criticized CM Revanth Reddy for allegedly failing to provide necessary documentation and clarity on operation, maintenance, and loan repayment aspects for the Hyderabad Metro expansion, causing delays.
What did the BJP say about the Centre's role?
The BJP stated that the Centre is not opposed to the expansion and has already granted in-principle approval for Phase-II, dismissing state government allegations of obstruction as false.
What is the current status of the Metro expansion project?
According to BJP, the pre-feasibility, financial feasibility, and detailed project reports have not yet been submitted by the state government, which is required for further approvals.
Source: www.thehindu.com