Kishan Reddy lobs civic failure charge at TG govt

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy criticized the State government for failing to tackle numerous civic issues affecting residents of slums and residential colonies. After interacting with residents from several colonies in the Jubilee Hills Assembly segment on Tuesday, he noted that they are struggling due to malfunctioning street lights and drinking water shortages. When he raised these concerns with the relevant officials, they expressed their helplessness, citing a shortage of funds as the primary issue.

He recalled that earlier, in villages, street lights were replaced immediately after one went out. He criticised the Congress government’s performance and pointed out that the delays in street light installation in Hyderabad—often promoted as a global city—reflect poorly on their administration.

Furthermore, the Minister highlighted the ineffectiveness of the current command control system, which lacks sufficient CCTV cameras, leading to a rise in unreported anti-social activities in the colonies. He stressed that installing CCTV cameras would enhance connectivity and enable better monitoring of incidents. He also voiced concerns about various crimes, such as harassment of women and chain-snatching incidents. The Minister expressed disappointment that, despite Hyderabad generating 70 per cent of the state’s revenue, the city is seemingly neglected, with inadequate funding from the government.”

He mentioned that while tenders for street lighting have been issued, there is currently no supply, causing unrest among residents demanding immediate action. Moreover, he pointed out that without working street lights and proper infrastructure, the city’s development and investment prospects would suffer.

Kishan Reddy said Hyderabad is more than just a high-tech city; it also includes slum areas like Amberpet and Gowliguda.