Hyderabad: BRS leader KT Rama Rao urged Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and the Congress to apologize for misleading people about the Kaleshwaram project while benefitting from its waters for new initiatives.
At a press meeting at Telangana Bhavan, Rama Rao criticized the Congress for being hypocritical and misusing public funds. He accused them of collaborating with banned contractors and betraying farmers. He pointed out that Congress once criticized Kaleshwaram but now relies on it for new projects. The government admits Kaleshwaram’s benefits but still publicly undermines it, he noted.
Rama Rao claimed that project costs have been inflated under Congress to misuse funds. He highlighted that estimates for bringing Godavari water to Hyderabad have risen from Rs 1,100 crores to Rs 7,390 crores. Similarly, the Musi beautification project’s cost has soared from Rs 16,000 crores to Rs 1.5 lakh crores. These increases, he said, are about gaining commissions, not development.
He raised concerns about delays in repairing the Medigadda Barrage to benefit other projects. Despite withstanding significant floods, three piers remain unrepaired. Repairs require only Rs 250 crores out of Rs 4,000 crores spent, and L&T offered to cover costs. Yet, the government blocks repairs, suggesting a plot against Telangana’s vital resources.
Rama Rao criticized the Congress for awarding contracts to blacklisted companies. These firms, involved in previous project failures, now have contracts exceeding Rs 7,000 crores. He questioned why these companies are favored, calling it a scheme to exploit Telangana’s resources.
