HYDERABAD: The state government on Saturday made it clear that there will be no toll imposed on roads being constructed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM).
In response to a question by the BRS whether toll would be charged for HAM roads, R&B Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy explained that the government would share 40% of the funding required for these projects, while the remaining 60% would be sourced through loans.
Venkat Reddy said that there are no proposals before the government for road construction in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode. He criticised the previous BRS government for neglecting road development, stating that significant areas such as Siddipet, Sircilla and Gajwel had not seen any road improvements.
He challenged the Assembly to review the current state of roads across the entire region. Accepting Venkat Reddy’s challenge, Harish accused the Congress government of attempting to sell land and collect `50,000 crore through dubious means. In response, Venkat Reddy said that the PVNR Expressway, Outer Ring Road, and Metro Rail were constructed during Congress’s rule. He alleged financial mismanagement in the ORR toll collection deal, which was leased out for `7,300 crore just before the 2023 Assembly elections.
Venkat Reddy stated that the BRS government had not completed the Uppal flyover in the last 10 years and said that the Congress government was expediting the work and that it would be completed within 18 months.
Venkat insulting BRS to dodge questions: Vemula
Meanwhile, former minister V Prashanth Reddy accused Venkat Reddy of engaging in character assassination of BRS members and failing to provide a proper reply to questions raised by pink party, before the party staged a walkout from the Assembly.
Venkat Reddy and Prashanth Reddy exchanged heated words over road infrastructure development in the state. The former minister said that the present government was not showing interest in road infrastructure projects and that people were facing hardships due to the poor condition and lack of road connectivity even after 15 months in office.
“Prashanth Reddy was busy performing pujas and yagas while constructing the new Secretariat, besides being occupied at Pragathi Bhavan and neglecting road development over the past 10 years,” Venkat Reddy said, further upsetting the former minister.
“I perform pujas and yagnas because I am spiritual and believe in God. What’s wrong with it?” questioned Prashanth Reddy, accusing the minister of diverting the issue and attempting to assassinate his character.