The city of pearls has earned a new fan - mayor of London Boris Johnson!
Visiting various places across the city, Johnson seemed impressed with all the works that are being undertaken, particularly the Merto rail. But he found one structure lacking - a Hyderabad eye! “There was a discussion about attractions of Hyderabad, like creating a ‘Hyderabad eye’ on the lines of London eye, a giant wheel or a wax museum like the one in London,” he said. Though an officer had proposed to construct the ferris wheel near Hussain Sagar, GHMC officials said they could not place it near the lake due to Supreme Court’s restrictions.
Johnson is on a five-day trip in India along with top London business people to look for investment opportunities. He evinced keen interest in Metro Rail project, the outer ring road and cleaning of lakes in Hyderabad after an official briefing at a meeting. The presentation was given by the investments and infrastructure minister G Srinivasa Rao and municipal minister M Maheeder Reddy, assisted by investments secretary Sunil Sarma, GHMC commissioner MT Krishna Babuand other officials.
Besides the Metro rail project, the visiting mayor also enquired about other projects including ports, aviation, power and cleaning Hussain Sagar lake.
There were massive mutual opportunities of both countries investing in each other, officials said. Though the mayor of London showed a keen interest in the plans of Hyderabad, officials said that it was only a preliminary meeting and that a concrete proposal to invest in Hyderabad would be finalised only after two or three more meetings.
“They have shown interest in the Metro rail and are very much impressed by the Outer Ring Road,” said M Maheedhar Reddy.
Hyderabad mayor Mohammed Majid Hussain said that Johnson’s visit was the beginning of an engagement between London and Hyderabad and will benefit the city.