Revanth Reddy seeks PM’s intervention on key Telangana projects, softens stand on Maharashtra

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who recently criticised Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis over the Tummidihatti project, has now sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to facilitate talks on sharing Godavari waters.

Hyderabad: Days after launching a sharp attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over Tummidihatti project, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy adopted a more conciliatory approach and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to facilitate discussions with the Maharashtra government on the utilisation of River Godavari waters.

During a meeting with the Prime Minister in New Delhi on Thursday, he stressed that access to Godavari waters was vital for Telangana’s future irrigation and drinking water requirements.

The Chief Minister’s request comes against the backdrop of his recent criticism of the Maharashtra government. Over the past few days, he had accused Fadnavis of failing to respond to Telangana’s requests for talks on the Tummidihatti project.

Addressing a public meeting at Jadcherla last week, Revanth Reddy had alleged that the Maharashtra Chief Minister was avoiding discussions on the project.

“If required, pressure will be exerted on him, his neck will be bent and the project will be constructed,” Revanth Reddy had said.

However, during his meeting with the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister focused on seeking the Centre’s support for a range of infrastructure and development projects in Telangana.

He urged the Centre to approve the second phase of the Hyderabad Metro Rail project and informed the Prime Minister that proposals worth Rs.38,595 crore had been submitted for the development of 122.9 kilometres of metro connectivity across seven corridors.

Revanth Reddy requested that the Metro Phase-II project be sanctioned as a joint venture between the Centre and the State government.

He also sought immediate approval for the Hyderabad Regional Ring Road (RRR) project. The Chief Minister pointed out that the State government had agreed to bear 50 per cent of the land acquisition cost for the northern section and had already released Rs.626 crore to the National Highways Authority of India.

According to him, the southern section of the RRR was equally important for strengthening Hyderabad’s transport infrastructure. The proposed corridor connecting Choutuppal and Sangareddy would improve regional connectivity and support future urban expansion, he said.

Revanth Reddy informed the Prime Minister that alignment maps and HMDA Master Plan notifications related to the southern section had already been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

He urged the Centre to approve and implement both the northern and southern corridors simultaneously to ensure the project’s timely completion. He also raised issues pertaining to a few other projects.