Historic Medaram Cabinet clears Metro expansion, municipal polls timeline
HYDERBAD: In a first, the Telangana Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy met at Medaram on Sunday and cleared a series of major policy decisions spanning Hyderabad Metro Rail expansion, municipal elections, transport infrastructure, education, tourism and irrigation.
Briefing reporters, information and public relations minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said the Cabinet decided to expedite the expansion of Hyderabad Metro Rail and fast-track the process of taking over the Phase-I project from Larsen & Toubro. It also approved land acquisition proposals worth ₹2,787 crore for Metro Rail-II to avoid further delays.
The Cabinet resolved to hold municipal elections at the earliest and advised the State Election Commission to complete the process before February 15 at 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations, covering 2,996 wards and divisions. The reservation exercise has been completed based on the Dedicated Backward Classes Commission report.
Officials were asked to frame the election schedule keeping in view festivals in February, including Ramzan and Maha Shivaratri, the minister said.
For the Godavari Pushkaralu scheduled from July 27 to August 3, 2027, the Cabinet decided to constitute a sub-committee to plan comprehensive development of major and ancient temples along the river from Basara to Bhadrachalam, alongside eco-tourism promotion.
The government aims to develop the entire stretch as a spiritual and tourism circuit. Officials from the endowments, revenue, forest, tourism and archaeology departments have been directed to jointly prepare a detailed project report, with the Chief Minister asking that an integrated plan be submitted by March 31.
In education, the Cabinet sanctioned a law college with 24 posts and a pharmacy college with 28 posts under Mahatma Gandhi University in Nalgonda. It also approved the creation of a registrar post for Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University.
For industrial and eco-friendly development, the Cabinet permitted the allotment of 494 acres to the Telangana Industrial Infrastructure Corporation for setting up an eco-town in Abdullapur mandal near Hyderabad.
To ease traffic congestion, it approved construction of a nine-km road connecting the Integrated Command and Control Centre in Banjara Hills to the Shilpa Layout Road, expected to improve connectivity in the western parts of the city.
In a major boost to irrigation in Mulugu district, the Cabinet approved the Potlapur lift irrigation project at an estimated cost of ₹143 crore. Under the scheme, water will be lifted from Ramappa Cheruvu to irrigate 7,500 acres and fill 30 tanks and ponds, benefiting five villages.
