Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi has demanded that the government focus on the development of the old city which had more than 400-year-old history by taking steps to improve civic and other infrastructure.
Participating in the short discussion on “civic infrastructure in GHMC and its surrounding areas and also other municipalities”, which came up in the Assembly on Wednesday, he demanded that the government announce ₹10,000-crore package exclusively for the old city. Several works launched for road widening were pending completion while the much-awaited Charminar pedestrianisation project was yet to take wing.
He recalled how the MIM fought for metro rail in the city and Krishna water diversion for twin cities along with the then Congress member late P. Janardhan Reddy in the erstwhile united State. “Much of the Krishna water is diverted to other areas while the metro rail has not entered my constituency,” he lamented.
He expressed concern that no footpaths were sanctioned to old city while there was no mention of bus bays or footover bridges. The apathy shown towards old city could be seen from the fact that 3,000 houses constructed under the JNNURM project remained unallotted as on date.
“There appears to be a step-motherly attitude towards old city. We urge the government to take care of these areas too,” he said. Development of the old city would increase tourist footfall
