HYDERABAD: Stating that the Old City was the original Hyderabad, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday reiterated his government’s commitment to fully develop the original city.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the Old City Metro Rail project at Farooqnagar Bus Depot here, the chief minister said that the Congress would remain in power for at least the next 10 years during which his government will concentrate on the all-round development of the state.
He made it clear that he would shift his focus to politics only during elections and concentrate on the development of the state at other times. “Qutub Shahis to the Nizams, all worked for the development of the city. The Congress government will take up developmental programmes to improve the image of Hyderabad and make it the best city in the world. We will develop every lane and bylane of the city. We will beautify the 55-km stretch of Musi flowing through the city, starting from Gandipet,” he said.
Revanth said that it was the Congress that brought international recognition to Hyderabad with its far-sighted decisions such as the construction of the ORR, the International airport, bringing water to the city from Krishna and Godavari rivers and other projects.
He will lay the foundation stone for the 5.32-km Double Decker corridor at Kandlakoya on Saturday.
“Hyderabad will be developed as per international standards. We are moving forward in a planned manner. The Metro rail route will be extended by about 75 km in the second phase for the benefit of the poor and middle-class,” the CM said.
The line will be extended by another 1.5 km from Falaknuma to Chandrayangutta where a major interchange station will be constructed as part of the newly planned Nagole-LB Nagar-Chandrayangutta-Mailardevpally-P7 Road-Shamshabad Airport line. A major Metro junction will be constructed at Chandrayangutta, he added.
The CM said that the Chanchalguda jail would be shifted and in its place, KG-to-PG educational institutions would be built for economically backward students. ‘’I tried to defeat MIM in the polls in the Old City, but the MIM keeps winning,’’ Revanth said.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that his party would cooperate with the state government for the next five years for the development of the city. ‘’You have a mandate for five years and you can continue to work for that period without worry. We will support you from our side so that Telangana becomes stronger,” he said.
Asad said that not only the state, but the entire country needs to be protected from fascist forces and from the atmosphere of hatred that has enveloped the nation these days.
“Telangana has an atmosphere of brotherhood; we and you are aware of the forces that want to create divisions amongst us. These forces want to poison the culture of love. We have to strive together to weaken these forces who talk of breaking our hearts and demolishing homes,” Asad said.
He said that the MIM has been struggling against such forces so that they do not come to power at any place. “I would like to tell the chief minister that this hatred has to go and love should prevail so that people can live peacefully in Telangana,” he added.
The Old City Metro — officially called the Corridor II Green Line from JBS to Falaknuma — will have four stations: Salarjung Museum, Charminar, Shalibanda and Falaknuma. Though the alignment and the stations are at least 500 metres from the monuments, two of the stations are named after the Salarjung Museum and Charminar due to their historical importance. The alignment will pass through Darulshifa- Purani Haveli-Etebar Chowk- Ali Jah Kotla-Mir Momin Daira -Hari Bowli-Shalibanda-Shamsheergunj-Aliabad and end at Falaknuma.
Around 1,100 properties will be affected due to the widening of the road up to 100 feet as per the master plan and to 120 feet at the stations. The project is expected to cost about Rs 2,000 crore.
Engineering solutions are being worked out to ensure that no religious or heritage structures on this stretch are affected, either due to road widening or Metro Rail construction.
Old City Metro project to cost Rs 2,000 crore
The Old City Metro project is expected to cost about Rs 2,000 crore. Around 1,100 properties will be affected due to the widening of the road up to 100 feet.