Hyderabad, February 24: There is something to cheer up for the harried traffic-weary citizens of Hyderabad as the government has in its annual budget 2011-12 presented to the Assembly on Wednesday made a special mention of three city-specific projects with allocations aimed at easing congestion.
Estimated cost
Finance Minister A. Ramanarayan Reddy informed the members the government’s plan to expedite the Outer Ring Road project with an estimated cost of Rs.6,786 crore. In an effort to provide rapid transport facilities to the unconnected areas in the city, the phase II of the Multi Mode Transport System (MMTS) too would be speeded up at a cost of Rs. 640 crore along with the Railways.
Apart from these two projects, the government reiterated its commitment to the prestigious Hyderabad Metro Rail Project spanning 71 km on three high density traffic corridors at an estimated cost of Rs.12,132 crores. Mr. Reddy said these measures would ease traffic congestion in Hyderabad to a great extent.
He also conveyed the government’s commitment in bringing the Godavari waters to meet the current and future requirements of the city. But surprisingly the Rs.1,400 crore Krishna Drinking Water Supply Phase III for augmenting the supply by 90 million gallons a day finds no mention. The Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board has come up with this short gestation project but was finding it difficult to execute owing to financial constraints.
Wakf properties
Another project that finds mention is the construction of a new Rs. 200 crore building in the Osmania General Hospital premises.
The Minister spoke of new initiatives to strengthen the Wakf institutions and AP State Wakf Board. A full centrally sponsored scheme has been launched for computerisation of the Wakf records. Its completion would enable people to access information through Internet and help in protection and development of Wakf properties.
-Agencies