BJP, TRS workers exchange blows

Malkajgiri: A review meeting called by TRS MLA Mynampally Hanumanth Rao on the Anandbagh RuB turned volatile as BJP and TRS party workers came to blows. During the review meeting BJP workers protested with placards over the slow pace of work but within no-time all hell broke loose as both TRS and BJP party workers clashed, resulting in chaos.

TRS party members alleged that the BJP workers came with an intention to stall the meeting. The TRS workers claim that the BJP had also interrupted other review meetings too. The BJP workers said they were there protesting against the incompletion of RUB for the last five years.

In an earlier instance, the residents of the area put up banners reminding the TRS working president KT Rama Rao and GHMC Commissioner about all the years they waited for the road under the bridge to be finished and protested on roads.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has for more than four-and-a-half years been dragging its feet on the four-lane road under the railway bridge at East Anandbagh, Malkajgiri. Residents complain that since the works began, the road was closed, and it was causing great inconvenience to the colony people as the alternative road provided to the locals is very narrow and during peak hour it creates a lot of traffic congestion.

The railway portion was said to be completed long back. However, remaining work was held up due to delay in land acquisition and court cases. Other road works like utility shifting water supply, electrical works have to be done once land acquisitions are cleared.

MLA pledges Rs 50 lakh

Mynampally Hanmanth Rao promised the locals that he would soon bring a permanent solution on this long due problem. He announced that he would give Rs 50 lakh from his side and Rs 50 lakh would be contributed by the party towards compensation to the property owners.

Sources said that what was initially an issue of funding later became an issue of coordination among various government departments and despite several cases reaching a settlement, only one or two locals, who managed to obtain a stay order from the court, are now causing a delay in executing the project.

Initially, when the proposal was made, 40 properties were said to be affected, after doing a complete check of the alignment issues by the engineers the number decreased to 19 properties.

Chander Singh, EE (Roads and Buildings), said, "Out of the 19 property owners 10 property owners have given the consent. We have filed a petition against the remaining nine property owners at the collector's office. We are going for the declaration part once it gets cleared."

One of the nine property owners said on condition of anonymity that, "The Uttam Nagar RuB has been designed perfectly and there was no land accusation. With sufficient service road and the ingress and egress is at a distance which is perfect for all vehicles to pass. Why is there a need for land acquisition despite having a 100-ft road in this project." He further added, "We want something similar here and we are ready to give our consent. If the Chief Secretary, the GHMC Commissioner and the R&B Chief Engineer come together, it's a five-minute task for them. They are refusing to sit with one another."