HYDERABAD: Municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) minister K.T. Rama Rao said that work on the 29-km elevated Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project to be taken up at a cost of Rs 2,500 crore from KPHB Metro Station to Kokapet Neopolis would start this year after state Cabinet approval.
Speaking after releasing the ‘MA&UD Annual Report 2021-22’ here on Friday, Rama Rao said the TRS government’s progressive urban land policies and initiatives had transformed the urban landscape in the state. He said that the number of municipalities had gone up from 69 in 2014 to 142 now, and they had been provided financial assistance of Rs 2,062 crore under the Pattana Pragathi programme to improve sanitation and infrastructure.
Rama Rao said that all measures were being taken up to avoid flooding in Hyderabad that was witnessed in 2020, as part of SNDP (Strategic Nala Development Programme). He said preparations were commenced in February and nala safety audits were conducted in the GHMC and other urban local bodies (ULBs).
“I am satisfied with the SRDP works being executed. But I don’t say or guarantee that there will be no flooding at all in the city in future as the works are yet to be completed fully. One should realise that even the first world countries cannot handle heavy cloudburst in a short span,” Rama Rao said.
Biomining, setting up fecal sludge treatment plants, digital door numbering etc were being proposed under the 10-point agenda programme in all the 142 ULBs and majority of these works would be completed by March 2023, he assured. The process of providing water connections to 75,000 2BHK houses for the poor at mega housing projects in Kollur and other places across the city was nearing completion. Once these works were completed, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao would formally inaugurate these projects and hand them over to beneficiaries, he said.
Rama Rao urged the Centre to allocate more smart cities and funds proportionately to Telangana adding that only Karimnagar and Warangal were identified under the programme from Telangana.
Referring to the Niti Aayog report that India was likely to have 50 per cent of its population in urban areas by 2050, Rao said Telangana was already much ahead of this trend at over 46 per cent and it posed to have 50 per cent population in urban areas by 2025 itself.
“This will throw more challenges in terms of creating the required infrastructure in urban areas and the state government is taking up measures accordingly,” he remarked.
To ensure faster connectivity and access to opportunities to Tier-II cities, a feasibility study is being taken up for having a semi high-speed rail network from Hyderabad to Warangal.
KTR Progress Report
· 2,254 sanitation vehicles procured
· Work started on 103 integrated vegetable and meat markets
· 734 Vaikuntadhamams being built
· 1,518 in-house nurseries being developed
· Works to prepare or update master plans for all ULBs under progress
Spending on Hyderabad infra
SRDP: Rs 671.19 crore
CRMP: Rs 293.93 crore
HRDCL: Rs 114.97 crore
SNDP: Rs 735.07 crore in GHMC, Rs 231.08 crore in surrounding ULBs
HMWS&SB has taken up the Rs 1,450-cr Sunkishala intake well to meet drinking water needs of Hyderabad.
HMWS&SB to set up 31 STPs.
Capacity of 19.8 MW ‘waste to energy plant’ (WTE) at Jawaharnagar is being enhanced to 48 MW.
The 14.5MW WTE plant at Dundigal will be functional this year
Hyderabad Road Development Corporation Ltd identified another 104 roads within GHMC limits and adjoining 10 municipalities.
A 21-km 4.5-metre cycle track on ORR with solar covered roofing is being built by HGCL (Hyderabad Growth Corridor Ltd). The track will run from Nanakramguda to TSPA and Narsingi to Kollur.
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