HYDERABAD: MALKAJGIRI -- the country’s biggest Lok Sabha constituency -- continues to struggle with a poor transport system with its only hope -- the MMTS line -- yet to see the light of day since it was sanctioned seven years ago in 2012. Sources say, it is the State government that has delayed release of funds for the project causing the project to be halted.
The Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) line between Moula Ali to Malkajgiri and Bollarum to Medchal is part of the MMTS phase-II project in Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency. Estimated to cost about `817 crore—the project is supposed to be taken up on a cost-sharing basis between the Central and State governments. The State government is supposed to spend Rs 600 crore for the project and on behalf of the Centre, SCR spends the remaining Rs 317 crore.
A senior South Central Railway (SCR) official, who did not wish to be named told Express that the SCR had already sanctioned nearly Rs 540 crore on MMTS Phase-II project, which was much more than what it agreed to share. However the State government has only released Rs 60 crore, he said.
K Vijayaraghavan, a member of MMTS Travellers Group, alleged, “We approached SCR but they claim that the government is delaying the release of funds. We filed to seek information with the government under RTI Act but they are yet to respond. We demand the State to release a report on funds released for the project.”