PM Narendra Modi criticizes Telangana’s free bus scheme for impacting Hyderabad Metro
HYDERABAD:ย In a recent interview, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concerns about the impact of free bus scheme provided Congress government in Telangana state on L&T.
PM Narendra Modi’s view on free bus scheme
“You build a metro in a city and then to win elections in the same city you promise free bus rides to women. This means you are taking away 50% of your metro passengers,” the PM Narendra Modi said in a veiled reference to Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s free-bus-rides-for-women scheme which forced L&T to think about the exit from Hyderabad Metro.
๐๐จ๐๐ข ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐’๐ฌ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ
In an interview, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concerns about the impact of the free bus travel scheme for women in Congress-ruled states on Larsen &โฆ pic.twitter.com/ZS1E06RblW
โ Sudhakar Udumula (@sudhakarudumula) May 17, 2024
“You have messed with traffic and the environment too. You have made it (bus rides) free and emptied the metro (coffer) as well. Now, how will the metro move forward? How will the country move forward?” asked PM Narendra Modi.
Previously, in a interview with Business Today, ย R Shankar Raman, President and CEO of L &T, revealed that company is planning to sell off Hyderabad metro after 2026. Shankar Raman also mentioned that the Hyderabad Metro Railโs ridership had suffered due to the Mahalakshmi scheme.
Raman noted that women were opting for RTC buses over the Metro Rail, leading to losses, and L&T was contemplating exiting the project. He also said that, due to free bus scheme, TSRTC also facing challenges with rising maintenance costs.
CM Revanth Reddy’s response to L&T
In a casual meeting with journalists at his home Revanth Reddy indirectly relied to Shankar Ramanโs remark that the free bus ride scheme was not โsustainableโ, Revanth Reddy said, โGovernments do not function like corporates. They donโt look at balance sheets or profits and losses in whatever they do. Welfare of people, especially women, is the top priority of the Congress government. We will continue this scheme come what may. We are reimbursing funds to TSRTC every month promptly and ensuring that TSRTC does not land in a financial crisis due to the free bus scheme.โ
CM Revanth Reddy reorganizes disaster management for Greater Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has decided to assign critical responsibilities to the Disaster Management Department within Greater Hyderabad. He has directed officials to implement structural changes and redistribute responsibilities accordingly. In a review meeting at the Secretariat on Monday evening, the Chief Minister discussed the reorganization with officials from Municipal Administration, HMDA, and Musi Development.
Expansion of disaster management responsibilities
Recognizing the geographic expansion of Hyderabad, the Chief Minister ordered the Disaster Management Department to extend its jurisdiction to the Outer Ring Road. He suggested including GHMC, 27 surrounding municipalities and corporations, and 33 gram panchayats within its service area. The department will be renamed the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring Protection (HYDRA). The Chief Minister proposed appointing a DIG-level officer as the director and SP-level officers as additional directors. He also recommended special teams from GHMC, HMDA, the Water Board, city traffic, and other departments to join this new division.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need for the Disaster Management Department to offer continuous services to city residents, not just during floods or emergencies. HYDRA should actively address all issues faced by Hyderabad’s citizens, including preserving the cityโs tanks and ponds, protecting government properties from encroachments, and managing hoardings and flex banners. Additionally, HYDRA will oversee water pipelines, electricity supply lines, drainage, flood management, and traffic control.
Focus on heritage and infrastructure projects
Chief Minister Reddy directed the acceleration of the Musi River Development Project, aiming to elevate Hyderabad’s international reputation. He stressed the importance of working towards the governmentโs goal of transforming this project into a landmark. He also ordered officials to take necessary actions to restore historical buildings and structures within the city. The GHMC presented a PowerPoint on various heritage sites, such as the City Library, Charminar Ayurvedic Hospital, and Nizamia Observatory etc. The Chief Minister encouraged exploring ways to develop these sites for tourism and integrating feasible ones into the Musi River Development Project.
The Chief Minister instructed Chief Secretary Shantikumar to draft a comprehensive reorganization plan, including staffing, duties, and budget allocations for HYDRA. He also emphasized identifying key areas where the Disaster Management Department can enhance its operations.
The meeting included Chief Secretary Shantikumar, Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development Danakishore, GHMC Commissioner Amrapali, GHMC Vigilance Disaster Management Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, and Hyderabad Water Board MD Ashok Reddy.
