Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao has broached the rankling issue of Defence lands yet again and said the Central government has not been giving any clarity for the last four years on alienation of the lands for construction of skyways.
Speaking at a meeting after inauguration of the Balanagar flyover on Tuesday, Mr. Rama Rao said the State government is ready for construction of skyways between Patny and Suchitra Junction and between Jubilee Bus Station and Turkapally through HMDA, but the works could not be initiated due to the Centre’s non-cooperation.
For the last four years, there is no word from the Central government about the land allocation due to which the structures are being delayed, the minister lamented. The State government could take up the works at Suchitra Junction even if the Centre does not come forward, he announced. Road widening works too will be taken up at Bachupally and Qutbullahpur, he added.
Mr. Rama Rao has announced that the Balanagar flyover will be named after the Dalit icon Babu Jagjivan Ram on whose birth anniversary the structure was inaugurated. Official orders will be issued soon. To mark the occasion, the minister made a labourer Shivamma from Wanaparthi district, who had been working in the construction of the flyover, cut the ribbon and launch the flyover.
During the first phase of the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP), close to ₹ 1,000 crore worth works including road widening and underpasses have been completed in Kukatpally constituency alone, while more works are under progress, he said.
The flyover cost has come down to ₹ 275 crore from the estimated ₹ 385 crore owing to cut down in road widening extent based on the request by local people. The remaining funds will be used for road widening and developmental works in the surroundings, the minister shared. The flyover allows the vehicle riders to avoid Narsapur Crossroads and Fathenagar Junction which have been experiencing severe traffic congestion for the past several years, a note from HMDA informed.
The six-lane flyover is 24 metres wide with central median and 1.13 kilometres long. The 30-metre road has been widened to 45 metres, after acquisition of 357 properties, the note said.
