HYDERABAD: The long-pending Charminar Pedestrianisation Project (CPP) in Old City would be completed in the next four to five months time and would be opened to public, Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister K Taraka Rama Rao said here on Thursday.
The State government would convene a meeting with MLAs shortly and make a visit to the old city where CPP is being implemented so as to speed up the works, he added.
Answering to a question raised by MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and others in the Assembly, Minister admitted that the CPP project got delayed for various reason and now the project would be speeded up and see that the project is completed at the earliest.
The CPP project is going to be the pride of Hyderabad, the project was planned in the year 1993 but the project took off in the year 2007 under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) funds.
He added that some portion of work was done at different places and places it is pending because of the objections raised by the shop keepers of Laad Bazar. Two loop roads were proposed in Laad Bazaar but could not be taken up, the minister added.
He said that the project consists of 60-ft outer ring road with a length of 5.4 km and a 40-ft inner ring road of 2.3 km length, and cobblestone pavement on all the four roads leading to Charminar. The works on inner and outer ring roads are almost completed.
Cobblestone work on Laad Bazar road is pending as the shop keepers of the area are not permitting to take up the balance work. However, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is pursuing with the shopkeepers to complete the balance work. The minister said that administrative sanction of Rs 35.10 crore was accorded in which Central government and GHMC have equally contributed.
The expenditure incurred so far is Rs 30.50 crore, and for carrying out the balance works sufficient funds are available, the minister informed.
STRUCTURE BEING WEAKENED
Akbaruddin said that with the large number of vehicles zooming past Charminar and other activities taking place, the monument is getting weaker by the day and warned the structure might get damaged. He also lamented that though many tourists visit the historic monument, it was unfortunate that there is not a single public toilet in the vicinity, and no place for people to park their vehicles.