The BJP has said that the international airport at Shamirpet, if needed, as announced by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at his public meeting in Siddipet on Thursday was a mere eyewash as an agreement between GMR and the Ministry of Civil Aviation over Hyderabad international airport barred any new airport from coming up in a radius of 150 kms for 25 years.
The 25 year period from the time the airport was completed in 2008 will expire on March 23, 2033, BJP MLAs M. Raghunandan Rao and T. Raja Singh and MLC N. Ramchander Rao told a media conference here on Friday.
Mr. Raghunandan Rao said the agreement was executed in December 2004 when the current Chief Minister was a member of the Union Cabinet holding Labour portfolio. The agreement was a collective decision of the Cabinet.
He recalled that a similar promise of an international airport for Warangal by Mr. Rao four years ago never took off. The latest one for Shamirpet will also meet the same fate. Obviously, the airport for Shamirpet was announced keeping in view municipal elections due in Siddipet.
The government was planning to issue election notification for Warangal and Khammam municipal corporations and Siddipet municipality any time. Therefore, it was showering promises on people. The extension of IT hub at Khammam was announced by IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao in this background.
Mr. Raghunandan Rao accused the government of deliberately neglecting Dubbak Assembly constituency, which he represented, while developing the neighbouring Siddipet and Gajwel constituencies. The two constituencies and Sircilla which was held by Mr. K.T. Rama Rao got a ring road but the same was denied to Dubbak.
Not even the bus stand in Dubbak, which was in a bad condition, was developed, he claimed.
