Congress accuses KTR of spreading lies on Hyderabad metro rail spending

Hyderabad: Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir accused the Municipal Administration Minister, KT Rama Rao, of misleading people by making false claims with regard to development of Hyderabad, especially on Hyderabad Metro Rail Project.

Addressing the media persons on Sunday, Shabbir Ali said that the foundation stone for HMRL was laid in October 2005 when he was Hyderabad district In-charge Minister in Dr YS Rajashekhara Reddy's cabinet.

"KTR has made a false claim on the Hyderabad Development Report, which he released in Telangana Bhavan on November 20, stating that the TRS government had spent Rs 17,290 crore on the project. This claim is not only false, but insane and totally misleading. The State government holds only 10 per cent stake in the project and it has no financial commitment. Its only job was to procure land for the metro stations and the track. Since the beginning of the project in 2005, the State government had spent about Rs 2,700 crore. The Central government was to bear 10 per cent of the project cost and as against the revised project cost of Rs 18,800 crore, the Centre has only paid Rs 1,200 crore and the remaining Rs 600 crore are yet to be released," he said.

Shabbir Ali said that the original estimated cost of the project was Rs 14,500 crore and it was revised to Rs 18,800 crore in November 2017.

He challenged KTR for an open debate on Hyderabad Metro Rail Project and offered to quit politics if KTR proved that the TRS government had spent Rs 17,290 crore on the project.