The government has been taking up several infrastructure projects like flyovers, underpasses and grade-separators in different parts of the twin cities to tackle traffic issues but at the same time it intends to promote public transport to reduce the pollution, said IT and Municipal Administration Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Friday.
The government is serious about improving public transport as just 34% of the population is utilising it unlike in Mumbai where 70% depended on, he said, adding that the metro rail link to L.B. Nagar is likely to be opened in August while the services to the Hi-Tec City could be commissioned in October so that upto 14 lakh people can use it every day when completed in all respects.
Similarly, MMTS-Phase Two is also being given a push. Electric vehicles induction too is being given impetus. Urging citizens to be patient, the Minister said they were bound to be inconvenienced as upto 9,000 km of roads and 3,000 km of water/sewer pipelines are being developed.
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Mr. Rama Rao was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for the ₹263-crore, three-km multi-level flyover and 470-metre underpass to be constructed at Botanical Gardens, Kondapur and Kothapet junctions; to connect to old Mumbai highway and Kondapur to Hi-Tec City.
He pointed out that the government had initiated the Strategic Road Development Plan at a total outlay of ₹23,000 crore for constructing new flyovers, roads, junctions and of them, ₹3,000 crore worth of works are under progress while the rest are in the tendering stage.
Most works are being taken up on the west side of the city, considering the increasing movement in that area. He also announced various timelines for completion of the projects.
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Transport Minister P. Mahender Reddy, Mayor B. Rammohan, Municipal Commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy and senior officials were present.