PURE ENOUGH?: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy with samples of treated and untreated water at the sewerage treatment plant near the Mir Alam tank, which he inaugurated on Sunday. - Photo: P.V.Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: Declaring Hyderabad a global city to reckon with, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Sunday said that impetus was being given to boost the city's civic infrastructure.

Stating that sweeping changes were in the pipeline, Dr. Reddy said: "The city is poised for a high growth trajectory and the effort is to make it a globally competitive city. Metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are no competition to us. Our competition is with global cities like Shanghai and Singapore."

He was speaking after throwing open the renovated Mir Alam tank. Major restoration works costing Rs. 22 crores, including a Rs.12.20-crore massive sewerage treatment plant, were undertaken by Hyderabad Urban Development Authority.

The Chief Minister, on a rare visit to interior localities of the State capital, opened the Imlibun park on the banks of the Musi for residents of the old city, besides laying the foundation for stadia at Chandulal Baradari and Katedan.

The Charminar Pedestrianisation Programme and Musi Conservation Project would be completed in a year to rid the old city of its stinking tag, the Chief Minister affirmed.

Work on the Rs. 8,400-crore MRTS would begin in three months while the ambitious Rs. 5,000-crore Outer Ring Road and Rs. 2,000-crore revamp of the city's sewerage network were under way.

Of the Rs. 2,000-crore exclusive package announced for the old city, works costing Rs. 400 crores were in progress. "Our Government believes in action not mere announcements," Dr. Reddy maintained. Information Minister Mohd. Ali Shabbir said: "The old city will no longer be old after Greater Hyderabad is formed."

Providing round-the-clock water and power were priority, the Minister said and pointed out that the proposed Godavari water project would ensure 24/7 water supply to the entire city.

Travelling in the `Praja Patham' bus, Dr. Reddy was accompanied by his Cabinet colleagues — Koneru Ranga Rao and Sabita Indra Reddy and senior officials including Municipal Administration Secretary S.P. Singh.

MCH Commissioner Sanjay Jaju, HUDA chairman, Sudhir Reddy, vice chairman Jayesh Ranjan and HMWSSB Managing Director K.S. Jawahar Reddy. MPs Asaduddin Owaisi, P. Madhu and G. Sanjeeva Reddy were also present.

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