L&T is reluctant to invest in new lines

metro india news  I hyderabad

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, highlighted several pressing issues concerning Telangana during a media interaction on Friday. Giving priority to Hyderabad’s Metro expansion, Reddy underscored that Phase-2 of the Metro Rail project can proceed only after critical operational and financial decisions are finalized.

“L&T, which is currently running the metro, is operating with monthly losses and has flagged pending dues of nearly Rs 3,500 crore from the previous government. Naturally, they are reluctant to invest in new lines,” he said. “The State Government must identify another agency to partner with and enter into a tripartite agreement with L&T and the new player. This must address who will bear the losses, how the extended network will be managed, whether existing or new coaches will be used, and who will maintain the tracks. All these aspects require clarity before the Centre can give its nod for Phase-2,” Reddy explained, in an interaction with media in Hyderabad on Saturday

He further noted that the first phase remains incomplete, pointing to the MGBS–Falaknuma stretch that has yet to be commissioned despite funds being sanctioned. “Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has already briefed Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on these issues, and the CM has agreed to expedite formalities. Once we get clarity, the Centre is ready to support Phase-2,” Reddy said.

Turning to agriculture, Reddy assured farmers of immediate relief from the current urea shortage. “State Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao spoke to me on Friday. Following this, I contacted Union Minister J.P. Nadda and officials in the Ministry of Fertilisers. We are dispatching 50,000 metric tonnes of urea to Telangana, with the first consignment of 25,000 tonnes already on its way,” he confirmed. He attributed the temporary halt in production at Ramagundam to technical reasons.

On irrigation, Reddy pointed out that BJP red flagged the Kaleshwaram project and the way the previous regime went about it even taking decisions ignoring engineers and technical experts’ suggestions. He distanced the BJP from the Moinabad farmhouse case relating to poaching of the then BRS MLAs and criticized political defections, saying that leaders joining the BJP must first resign from their posts and affiliations.

Reddy also called for a Special Intensive Revision of the voter list in Telangana to remove nearly four lakh duplicate votes in Hyderabad. “We have nothing to hide—our own MP seats have dropped overall in the country. Cleaning up the rolls is essential,” he said Speaking about party prospects, he expressed confidence in the BJP’s performance in upcoming polls in Bihar and also Jubilee Hills by-election, and downplayed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s padyatra in Bihar. 

He also exuded confidence about NDA-backed CP Radhakrishnan’s victory in the Vice-Presidential election, noting, “He will be the first Vice-President from the Backward Classes category and a South Indian candidate. I haven’t approached BRS or YSRCP for support.”

On the reservation debate, Reddy reiterated the BJP’s stand on excluding minorities from the BC list. “Even when supporting the earlier Assembly resolution, our MLAs submitted in writing that minorities should not be included. If the Congress removes the 10 percent minority quota from the BC list, we will fully support it,” he asserted.