Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy on Saturday regretted that he could not attend the inauguration of the JBS-MGBS corridor of the Metro rail project by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on February 7 because the invitation was extended to him at the eleventh hour.
Reviewing the utilisation of Central funds in the project with Metro authorities on Saturday, Mr. Reddy informed officials that he was informed about the opening of the corridor by Animal Husbandry Minister T. Srinivas Yadav just a day before the programme. But, Mr. Reddy said that he expressed his inability to attend as Parliament was in session and the BJP had issued a whip to all its MPs to be present for the proceedings without fail.
Present at the meeting were L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) MD and CEO K.V.B. Reddy, project director M.P. Naidu, COO Anil Kumar Saini and chief project manager Anand Mohan.
A release said Mr. Reddy informed officials that the Centre had already released ₹1,200 crore out of ₹1,458 crore that it had allotted. He demanded the officials to extend the corridor up to Falaknuma as indicated in the DPR. The extension should connect not only Falaknuma but other tourist places enroute.
After the meeting, Mr. Reddy, BJP State president K. Laxman and party MLC N. Ramchander Rao travelled by a Metro train from JBS to MGBS. He bought a ticket for himself and inspected the console in the train driver’s cabin at the destination. He addressed the media when he criticised MA&UD Minister K.T. Rama Rao for levelling false charges that the Centre was not giving money to the State. Mr. Laxman said that MIM prevented execution of the Metro rail project in Old City.
In his response later, Mr. Srinivas Yadav issued a release saying that he invited Mr. Reddy over the phone after learning about the programme from Metro authorities. The programme was fixed for February 7 at the instance of Metro officials because they were unavailable for the next 25 days for a foreign tour. Nevertheless, there was no protocol violation for Mr. Reddy because his name figured in the marble engraving for the occasion immediately after CM.
