Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said that there was no point in calling Hyderabad a global city when commuters end up travelling 2-4 hours to cover one kilometer after two hours of rain.
His remarks come a day after heavy rains and thunderstorms brought the city to a standstill. Revanth, who was headed to attend the Mahila Shakti Scheme public meeting at Parade Grounds, was also caught up and ended up taking an RTC bus to reach the venue.
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Speaking after inaugurating the Future City Development Authority (FCDA) building in Bharat Future City on Wednesday, June 10, Revanth questioned who was responsible for the flood situation. He blamed the encroachment of lakes, ponds and parks, saying instead of merging with a waterbody, water was spilling on the roads and causing massive traffic across Hyderabad.
Citing the restoration of water bodies such as Bun-Rukn Ud Dowla, Tummidikunta, Sunnam Cheruvu and Bathukamma Kunta lakes by the state government, the Chief Minister alleged that the previous BRS regime had allowed encroachments. He claimed that BRS Amberpet constituency in-charge Yedla Sudhakar Reddy had been “gifted” 15 acres of Bathukamma Kunta land for encroachment because he showered rose petals from a helicopter during former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s visit.
Speaking on the renovation of spoke Bun-Rukn Ud Dowla, Tummidikunta, Sunnam Cheruvu and Bathukamma Kunta lakes, restored by the Congress government, he alleged that encroachments occurred left, right and centre during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) tenure.
On Bharat Future City, he said that a few villages in Kalwakurthy Assembly constituency were formally merged with the FCDA, and that more villages will merge after proper discussions.
Responding to T Harish Rao’s recent remarks, where he said once BRS comes to power, the Future City Project would be replaced by Pharma City, Revanth said those making such statements have no political future.
“Next time you won’t even be able to maintain your Opposition status,” he mocked the senior BRS leader.
“If the Nizam had not established businesses and markets from Charminar to Gulzar Haus, and from MJ Market to Kabootar Khana, would Hyderabad’s economy be what it is today,” he asked, also recalling how the Nizam had responded to the 1908 floods in the Musi river, to build the twin-reservoirs to address the problem of floods in Hyderabad.
Revanth Reddy said that there was similar opposition from the opposition parties when earlier governments tried to build the Outer-Ring Road, Hyderabad Airport at Shamshabad, Genome Valley, Hitech City, Cyberabad and so on.
He said that the FCDA building has been constructed in 150 days, and that the Future City will once again be the stage for holding the next Global Summit in December, 2026 to attract global investments to create jobs for the youth.
“Future City will become one of the great cities in the world,” he declared.
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