Government will complete project in 5 months: KTR
Admitting that there was delay in the executing of Charminar pedestrianization project, Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao on Thursday assured city MLAs that the project would be completed in less than five months. The Minister was replying to a question raised by MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, who wanted to know the status of the project, which started during 1993.
Hyderabad: Admitting that there was delay in the executing of Charminar pedestrianization project, Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao on Thursday assured city MLAs that the project would be completed in less than five months. The Minister was replying to a question raised by MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, who wanted to know the status of the project, which started during 1993.
- Centre has released 17.55 crore as its share for the project and GHMC has spent equal amount
- A proposal to ensure that only electric vehicles run in the surroundings of Charminar to protect the historical monument from pollution
KTR said the project consisted of outer ring road with a length of 5.4 km (60 feet) and, inner ring road of 2.3 km length (40 feet), cobble pavement on all the four roads leading to Charminar. "Inner and outer roads are almost completed and cobblestone work on the Laad Bazaar road was pending as shopkeepers were impeding the execution of balance work," he said.
However, he added that GHMC was pursuing the matter with shopkeepers for completing the balance work. The Minister said that an administrative sanction of Rs 35.10 crore had been accorded for the project. The share of Central government was Rs 17.55 crore and GHMC’s share was Rs 17.55 crore.
The expenditure incurred so far was Rs 30.5 crore on the project, he said adding that sufficient funds were available for carrying out pending works. The Minister said it was a genuine concern and added that government had to take care of these people in the locality before they were asked to move away.
“We are more than happy to sit with hawkers and create hawker zone as the government had announced the Hawkers Act. “We have no problems in creating wonderful hawkers zone like we have proposed for Sultan Bazaar hawkers,” said KTR. The Minister said with to ensure that pollution does not affect the historical monument of Charminar, government has proposed to run battery-operated vehicles like golf carts or battery-run mini buses.
“We are committed to the project, provided we get absolute cooperation from people in the locality and also local MLAs and corporators,” KTR said. The Minister promised to convene a meeting of local MLAs in the Assembly during this week. Regarding Gulzar Houz, he said the court had asked authorities to first complete 50 per cent of the works and then take up the remaining works.
He said that 50 per cent works were already completed. KTR said that two more loop roads would have to be laid at Lad Bazaar. “If MLAs cooperate, I will hold a meeting with the locals. Let us inspect together. With your (MIM MLAs) active cooperation, we can complete the project in less than four to five months and throw it open to the visitors.
