Instead of taking credit for Metro Rail project, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao should apologise to the people for the delay and enormous cost to the State exchequer, said former president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Ponnala Lakshmaiah.
Speaking to reporters here, he alleged that the vested interests of KCR had delayed the execution of Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) project on time. Because of him Telangana is incurring an additional cost of ₹ 4,000 crore for the project as the costs have escalated by over 28%.
Mr. Ponnala reminded how KCR objected to the project and even threatened violence if the project went ahead in front of the Assembly and Sultan Bazar. Project was stalled and the costs went up ultimately affecting the people of Hyderabad and Telangana. “He owes an explanation to the people on this.”
The Congress leader said it was the Congress party that planned and executed the project to give a fillip to the global image Hyderabad had gained due to its thrust on IT sector. Even Shamshabad Airport and Outer Ring Road were planned and completed by the Congress. “All that KCR had done was to stop Metro Rail’s completion on time for his vested interests.”
He said people of Hyderabad realise the contribution of the Congress party to the city’s infrastructure including getting water from Krishna and Godavari rivers. On the other side, KCR was concerned only about his family’s political future and not the State, he alleged.
