Telangana Govt accuses Centre of Delaying Metro Expansion, Says Telangana Ready to Fund Phase-II Alone
Hyderabad, June 15 (TNT): Intensifying his attack on both the BJP-led Centre and the opposition BRS, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday alleged that the Union Government was deliberately stalling the Hyderabad Metro Rail expansion project and discriminating against the state, despite Telangana’s willingness to execute the project entirely with its own funds.
Addressing a press conference here, the Chief Minister demanded that the Centre immediately grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Metro Rail Phase-II and accused Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy of failing to safeguard Telangana’s interests.
“The Telangana Government is prepared to bear 100 per cent of the cost of Metro Rail Phase-II. If the Centre is unwilling to provide funds, it should at least stop creating hurdles and issue the required approvals,” Revanth Reddy said.
The Chief Minister said he had personally met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and Ashwini Vaishnaw on several occasions, including during visits in May, seeking approval for the long-pending expansion project.
Alleging step-motherly treatment towards Telangana, Revanth Reddy said metro rail projects in Ahmedabad, Uttar Pradesh and Visakhapatnam had received approvals while Hyderabad’s expansion proposal continued to remain pending.
Targeting Kishan Reddy, the Chief Minister urged him to secure immediate clearance for the transfer of Metro Rail-related loans through the Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC), which the state government intends to use for refinancing liabilities and taking full ownership of Metro Phase-I.
According to Revanth Reddy, L&T declined to participate in the Metro Rail expansion due to mounting losses in Phase-I. Following consultations with the Centre, the Telangana Government acquired Metro assets worth about ₹30,000 crore for ₹15,000 crore and initiated steps to refinance L&T Metro’s ₹13,600-crore loan at a lower interest rate.
The Chief Minister said the state had completed all required formalities, including payment of ₹1,400 crore towards its share, and secured a refinancing arrangement at four per cent interest through a Japanese financial institution.
“The Centre is blocking the loan transfer despite all approvals being in place. Ownership of Metro Phase-I is crucial for taking up the proposed 122-km Metro Phase-II expansion,” he said.
Launching a political offensive against the previous BRS government, Revanth Reddy alleged that delays caused during its tenure escalated the cost of the first phase of the Metro Rail project from ₹15,000 crore to ₹22,000 crore.
He accused BRS leaders of neglecting Metro Rail expansion during their decade-long rule and prioritising personal enrichment over public welfare.
In a further escalation of political rhetoric, the Chief Minister alleged “collusion politics” between BRS leaders and Kishan Reddy and questioned the Union Minister’s silence on key issues concerning Telangana.
Revanth Reddy also reiterated that the Hyderabad Metro Rail project was originally conceived during the Congress regime in the undivided Andhra Pradesh under former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and former Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy.
The Chief Minister additionally expressed concern over delays in the Warangal Airport project and said he had urged Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu to expedite the works.
TNT TS
