KTR seeks adequate funds for TS urban projects in Union Budget

Hyderabad: Stating that several projects were either held up or proceeding at less than desired pace in the urban sector initiatives in the State, Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao on Sunday urged the Centre to allocate sufficient funds in the ensuing Union Budget-2023-24.

Rao said that with 46.8 per cent of its population living in cities, Telangana was predominantly an urban State where the number of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) increased from 68 to 142. He listed various urban infrastructure projects planned, initiated by the government on its own, which include Strategic Road Development Project (SRDP), Strategic Nala Development Project (SNDP).

The minister listed issues and placed requests related to the various development projects and hoped the Centre would extend support at least in the next Union Budget. He said the Hyderabad Airport Express Metro Project (31 km) was undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs 6,250 crores, as fully owned and funded by the government. He sought 'in principle approval' from the Centre to the project. KTR said Rs 254 crores, part of viability gap funding for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project has been pending since five years and urged the Centre to expedite it to relieve the severe financial stress.

Rao said the preliminary estimate for taking up Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in Hyderabad for a 20 Km length was Rs 3,050 crore and urged the Centre to provide Rs 450 crore towards 15 per cent of its equity. He also urged the Centre to provide Rs 800 crore, which was one-third of the cost of the project, to construct link roads in 104 corridors. The total cost of the project is Rs 2,400 crore. He sought Rs 500 crore for removing congestion at the National Highway 65. Under SRDP, infrastructure projects like skywalks, major corridors, major roads and flyovers were taken up. The first phase was completed by meeting the cost by way of term loans raised from financial institutions and sale of municipal bonds by GHMC. He said that DPR for phase –II of the project was completed with proposals including Rs11,500 crore for Musi riverfront development and East West Expressway, Rs 14,000 crore for SRDP phase II, Rs 9,000 crore for development of elevated corridors. Rao requested the Centre for at least Rs 3,450 crore of budgetary support, which was 10 per cent of project cost of Rs 34,500 crore. KTR also requested for an incentive to GHMC on raising of the third tranche of municipal bonds.

The minister sought Rs 750 crore as 20 per cent share of Rs 3,777 crore for important transformative projects, such as solid waste management, bio-mining, fecal sludge treatment plants (FSTP), waste water treatment. He urged the Centre to provide one-third of Rs 8,684 crore, which was the total project cost for 41 sewage treatment plants with a total capacity of 1,591 MLD and for 2,232 km of sewer network. He sought Rs 240 crore for nala development plan to prevent inundation during rainy season, Rs 400 crore for Swachh Bharat, Rs 100 crore for establishment of Telangana Sanitation Hub, a first of its kind in the country.

Rao said that Telangana would flourish if the Centre supports the State which was massively contributing towards the nation's economy. He hoped that the Modi government would extend support at least in this budget towards development of urban areas in the State.