The opposition BJP today staged a walkout in the Telangana Legislative Assembly alleging that the TRS government adopted a negligent attitude towards extending metro rail services to the old city of Hyderabad.
The protest is politcally motivated, state municipal administration minister K T Rama Rao said.
Replying to BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy's charge that there has been delay in providing metro rail services to old city, he said there is some delay due to the presence of religious structures and "sensitivities."
The state government is committed to connecting the old city to metro rail network and also to linking Falaknuma (in old city) to the airport.
Of the 72 km length of Phase-I (of the project), 30 km has been opened for commercial operations.
"With an overall progress of 85 per cent, the project works are going on at a brisk pace in other portions," Rao said.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (DMRCL) has since submitted Preliminary Project Report (PPR) and is presently carrying out field surveys for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Phase-II, he said.
Phase-1 Project works in JBS (Jubilee Bus Station) -Falaknuma corridor are going on at a brisk pace between JBS and MGBS (Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station), he said.
The total cost of the project as per original estimate was Rs 14,132 crore. The state government so far (in the last five years) paid Rs 2,296 crore. The state government was expected to pay Rs 3,000 crore, he said.
The state government aims to complete about 66 km of the metro rail project before the end of this year, the minister said.
"Out of 72 km, 30 km has been commissioned. The remaining is being worked at a brisk pace. We are aiming to complete about 66 km much before the end of this year," he said.
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