Shabbir slams government for the delay in old city metro rail project
The Hindu
Congress suspects the completion of 31-km long Airport Express Corridor
Former Minister and TPCC Political Affairs Committee convener Mohammed Ali Shabbir accused the TRS government of deliberately neglecting old city by depriving it of metro rail connectivity.
“We welcome the State government’s proposal for the establishment of a 31-km long Airport Express Corridor although we suspect its completion as Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao only believes in laying foundation stones and not actual completion of projects. The KCR government holds a record for the highest number of incomplete projects. However, before laying the foundation stone for this project, the Chief Minister must clarify why the metro rail works in the old city have not started?” he asked.
“As the Hyderabad district incharge Minister in Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s Cabinet, I was part of the foundation stone laying ceremony for HMRL in October 2005. The project would’ve been completed on time, but KCR government delayed it by raising unnecessary objections on the route. Originally, it was proposed to connect the old city with the metro rail from Jubilee Bus Station in Secunderabad to Falaknuma. As the TRS and MIM never wanted the old city to develop, they ensured that the proposal remains on paper,” he alleged.
Mr. Shabbir Ali said there were reports of the State government allocating ₹500 crore to the HMRL to take up works on the long-pending 5.5 km stretch connecting MGBS-Imlibun to Falaknuma on Corridor-II in the financial year 2022-23. But in reality, nothing has been done to ground the project. “The TRS government could not bring metro rail on a small stretch of 5.5 km in the old city for ₹500 crore. But now it is promising to establish a 31-km Airport Express Corridor in the Hitech City for ₹6,250 crore. This clearly shows the discriminatory approach of the TRS government towards the Old City and its people,” he said.
The Congress leader alleged that the TRS government, in connivance with the MIM, has been neglecting the old city.
Shabbir Ali also questioned the silence of MIM, which claims to be an ally of TRS, on the discriminatory approach of KCR government towards old city.
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