PNS|Hyderabad
Taking strong exception to the Centre’s decision to reject the proposal for Hyderabad Metro Phase-II, Industries Minister KT Rama Rao wrote a letter to the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, to reconsider the decision.
Reacting to media reports that the Centre has refused to approve the extension of Metro from Lakdikapul to BHEL and from Nagole to LB Nagar on grounds of feasibility, KTR said that it was strange that the Centre which had sanctioned Metro projects to many cities with lesser traffic had felt that Hyderabad does not qualify for a Metro Rail project.
Responding to the Telangana Government’s letter to extend financial assistance to the Hyderabad Metro Phase-II project, the Union Ministry said, “The PHPDT (Peak Hour Peak Direction Traffic) and ridership is very less and does not justify Metro Rail at this point.”
Not mincing words, KTR said that it 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 UP cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur, Agra, Prayagraj, Meerut and other cities located in some of their favoured States qualify. This is nothing but pure ‘discrimination’ against Hyderabad and Telangana,” KTR said.
He pointed out that his 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 treatment to our infrastructure development proposals without any bias,” KTR said in his letter to Puri.
He said that the state government was more than willing to clarify any doubts the Centre has about the project and requested an appointment with Union Minister Puri.
“Nevertheless, I once again request you to get the Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II Project proposal examined on merits and approve it,” KTR added.
