KTR hits out at Centre for rejecting Hyderabad metro proposal

HYDERABAD: Taking a strong objection to the BJP-led Central government’s ‘decision to reject the proposal’ for Hyderabad Metro phase-II, MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday wrote a letter to Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri to reconsider the Centre’s decision. 

Reacting to media reports that the Centre declined to approve the extension of Metro from Lakdikapul to BHEL and Nagole to LB Nagar on the grounds of feasibility, KT Rama Rao said that it was strange that Centre, which had sanctioned Metro projects to many cities with less traffic, had felt that Hyderabad does not qualify for a Metro rail project. 

Responding to the Telangana government’s earlier letter seeking financial assistance for the Hyderabad Metro phase-II project, the Union ministry said, “The Peak Hour Peak Direction Traffic (PHPDT) and ridership is very less and does not justify metro rail project at this juncture.”

Without mincing his words, KTR said that the Centre’s decision was nothing but blatant discrimination against Telangana. “If the traffic of Hyderabad’s high-density corridors does not qualify for a Metro rail project, I wonder how a number of small cities of UP like Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Agra, Prayagraj, Meerut and cities located in some of BJP favoured states qualify. This is nothing but pure discrimination and step-motherly treatment to Hyderabad and Telangana,” minister KTR said. 

He told the media that his repeated attempts to meet Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to explain the importance of Hyderabad Metro Phase-II went in vain. “Given your professional background, I had hoped that you would ensure a fair and objective treatment to our infrastructure development proposals without any bias or prejudice,” KTR stated in his letter to Puri. 

KTR further said that the state government was more than willing to clarify any doubts the Centre had on the project and, once again, requested for an appointment with Union minister Puri. “Nevertheless, I would once again urge you to get the Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II project proposal examined dispassionately on the merits of DPR and have it approved at an early date,” he stated in the letter.