The Telangana government has been requesting for defence lands that fall under the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB), for the construction of skyways.
Telangana's Minister for Industry K T Rama Rao on Wednesday met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and made a request in this regard, and sought the transfer of defence land in Secunderabad for construction of skyways on the Hyderabad-Nagpur and Hyderabad-Ramagundam highways.
KTR told Singh that the state government has been making representations in this regard as the skyways are required to be built to ease the traffic congestion in Hyderabad.
The TRS government in Telangana and the BJP at the Centre have been locking horns for the past few years over the issue, as the Telangana government has been requesting for defence lands that fall under the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB). for the construction of skyways as part of its Strategic Road Development Project (SRDP).
KTR in his representation to Rajnath, said that the Telangana government had not received any orders over transfer of the said lands despite the Chief Minister's request in 2017.
Met with Hon’ble Defence Minister Sri @rajnathsingh Ji and requested him to transfer defence lands to enable state to construct skyways on two important stretches; Hyderabad- Nagpur NH and Hyderabad - Ramagundam Highway pic.twitter.com/aXoPf00gya
— KTR (@KTRTRS) October 30, 2019
The Telangana Minister is said to have explained to Rajnath Singh about the need for expansion of the proposed national highways, keeping in view that the existing roads are inadequate and congested.
Earlier this month, CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, in his first meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after winning the Telangana state elections for the second time, submitted a list of 22 demands. The handing over of defence land was one of the demands.
Meanwhile, KTR in New Delhi attended a states' consultation workshop for Make in India programme. Speaking on the occasion he urged the Centre to consider the proposal to develop the Hyderabad-Bengaluru-Chennai industrial corridor.
KTR also called on Urban Development and Housing Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and urged him to help the state in developing the Telangana sanitation hub.
The state government is already working with Administrative Staff College of India for developing the hub. The minister also sought release of Rs 254 crore towards Viability Gap Funding for Hyderabad Metro Rail.
He also demanded Rs 400 crore under Swachh Bharat Mission for solid waste management project to be developed in Hyderabad.
KTR also sought Centre's permission to use Begumpet Airport in the city for training activity for the aerospace sector. He said the state government along with a leading university from Britain was ready to deliver training programmes in aerospace.
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