HYDERABAD: Days after accusing the State government, in the Assembly, of neglecting the Old City, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi attended a high-level review meeting chaired by Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday. Home Minister Mahmood Ali, Chevella MP Ranjith Reddy and officials were also present in the review meeting.
During his lengthy speech in the Assembly, Akbar had reeled off the ‘injustices’ done to the Old City, following which Rama Rao had said that with just seven members, the party was taking much more than the time allotted to it. Angered by this, Akbar had said that the AIMIM will contest 50 Assembly seats in the coming election and try to win at least 15 seats, so that his party gets a greater say in the Assembly.
Addressing the review meeting, Rama Rao said irrespective of political affiliations and areas, development of the entire Hyderabad was the ultimate motto of the State government. He listed out the projects underway and progress achieved in providing drinking water, power supply, mobility infrastructure, maintaining sanitation, conservation of heritage structures and works in other fronts.
“As part of the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP), strengthening of the road network in the Old City area is going on at a brisk pace and several flyovers, construction of roads have been completed,” Rama Rao said. He added that projects worth crores of rupees were underway.
Admitting that widening of roads in the densely populated Old City was a challenge, Rama Rao asked officials to speed up the work in localities where it was essential. He said that works related to traffic junctions, construction of FoBs were under progress and construction of bridges across the River Musi will be taken up soon.
Rama Rao said that drinking water supply has improved in the Old City in the last eight years and that more than Rs 1,200 crore was spent for this. Over 2.5 lakh tap connections were provided in the Old City under the free water supply scheme of the Telangana government, he said, adding that the HMWS&SB took up several initiatives to strengthen the sewage water system.
Rama Rao said that plans are ready for restoration of Mir Alam Mandi and that the proposals for the construction of a six-line cable bridge over Mir Alam Tank are in the DPR stage.Expressing satisfaction over the priority given to the development of the Old City, Akbar thanked the government. A few projects needed in the Old City were brought to the notice of the Minister. The AIMIM MLA said that his party would extend all support to implement the State government’s development projects.
Time to put the past behind
During his lengthy speech in the Assembly, Akbar had reeled off the ‘injustices’ done to the Old City, foll-owing which KTR had objected to the time taken by the Chandrayangutta MLA