Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy clarified that L&T has not withdrawn from the Hyderabad Metro project, but only mentioned the losses it incurred during the first phase.
Questioning why people should be forced to suffer due to the “mistakes committed by former chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) and L&T,” he said the company “has a clear responsibility to cooperate in taking forward the second phase of the project.”
The chief minister made the remarks during an interaction with media in Delhi on Friday, September 19.
Kishan Reddy, KTR obstructing 2nd phase: Revanth
Revanth alleged that Union Minister Kishan Reddy and BRS working president KT Rama Rao are “deliberately obstructing the progress of the Metro’s second phase for their vested interests.”
He recalled that the second phase should have been completed by 2017, but “negligence on the part of then chief minister KCR ensured that the project did not move forward even to this day.”
‘Repeatedly raised issue with PM Modi’
The chief minister stated that he has been repeatedly raising the Metro issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during every meeting, but the Centre has not extended the required support.
He warned that the state government “will not remain silent if L&T tries to dictate terms”, stressing that “the company has the responsibility to work in collaboration with the state rather than imposing its conditions.”
Revanth strongly criticised the Centre’s stance that permissions for Metro expansion will be given only if the state signs a fresh agreement with L&T.
He described this condition as part of a “drama being staged by Kishan Reddy and KTR,” blaming them for obstructing the project to suit their political agenda.
Highlighting the importance of the project, he said that nearly 5 lakh passengers currently use the Metro every day, and completion of the second phase could increase the daily ridership to as many as 15 lakh.
