Uttam Kumar Reddy charges TRS with Old City neglect

Nampally: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & MP Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday accused the TRS government in the State and the BJP government at the Centre of completely neglecting Hyderabad, especially the Old City, during the last seven years.

"Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao never visited the Old City in the last seven years. He did not hold a single review meeting since 2014 to understand or resolve the problems being faced by the residents of Old City although he had promised to develop this region as the next Istanbul. Graduates from the Old City have no job opportunities and they often face discrimination at their places of works due to their area of residence," Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

Uttam Kumar was addressing a series of meetings in the Old City as part of campaign for the MLC candidate G Chinna Reddy of Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahabubnagar Graduates constituency. The TPCC Chief, along with Congress candidate Chinna Reddy and other leaders, first performed puja at Maha Kali Temple in Lal Darwaza. Later, he addressed a meeting with Congress cadre of Charminar, Chandrayangutta, Bahadurpura and Yakutpura constituencies at Famous Function Hall, Sardar Mahal near Charminar. They also had a meeting with the leaders of the Shia community.

The TPCC chief alleged that the KCR government behaved as if the Old City of Hyderabad did not exist in Telangana State. He said not a single new project was launched in the Old City since 2014. Further, he said the projects like Charminar Pedestrianisation and Musi River Rejuvenation remained incomplete due to shortage of funds and official lethargy. He also strongly condemned TRS government for not bringing the Metro Rail to the Old City. He said the Hyderabad Metro Rail, the biggest metro rail in the country, was started by the previous Congress government and it had a clear plan to connect the Old City with Metro Rail services. However, he alleged that TRS and MIM parties altered the routes and did not allow the Metro Rail in the Old City. Consequently, he said that the people of Old City were forced to spend huge time and money on transportation.

"MIM is contesting elections across the country. It is fielding its candidates on every seat where BJP could win due to division of secular votes. MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi is calling that as the party's expansion. If that is true, then why isn't MIM contesting the present MLC elections? Why is Owaisi silent on whohis party is supporting in MLC elections?" he asked.