Hyderabad: Union urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said that the Center will take a call on the Telangana government’s proposal for 162-km metro route expansion in Hyderabad.
Speaking to media persons, Khattar stated that in the coming days the Center and the Telangana government will jointly operate the project in a 50:50 joint venture (JV) model.
He was in Hyderabad to attend the regional meeting of urban development ministers of the South-West states on Tuesday. On this occasion, the Union minister and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy visited the stalls set up by various departments of the Telangana municipal administration and urban development department. They were briefed on the latest status of various projects undertaken by the organizations at the stalls set up by HMRL and HMDA.
HMDA metropolitan commissioner and HMRL MD Sarfaraz Ahmed briefed Khattar on the progress of various projects and those pending with the Central government. He requested fast-track sanction for the second phase of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project. Earlier, speaking at the second regional meeting of urban development ministers of southwestern states here, Khattar described the Musi rejuvenation project as a long-pending initiative and expressed concern over the delays in its progress. Khattar said that besides Central funds, international agencies such as the Asian Development Bank will extend support to similar projects. The Musi project, he said, must advance with twin goals — ensuring the flow of clean water and the holistic development of the riverfront.
Acknowledging that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy went beyond a formal welcome speech to present an extensive list of demands from the state, Khattar remarked: “If a state takes two steps forward, the Center moves four steps forward. Whoever supports development, the Center will extend double that support. Hum sathiyon ka saathi hai (We firmly stand with our companions).”
Addressing the states’ expectation of greater financial assistance from the Center to the states, Khattar said both faced their own resource limitations. He explained, the Center had decided to conduct regional meetings with state urban development ministers instead of holding all discussions in New Delhi.Deliberations covered progress under central schemes such as the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban (SBM-U), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U), and the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme. Participating states reviewed targets relating to 100 percent water-supply coverage, treated water reuse, dumpsite remediation, and affordable housing.
Khattar appreciated the cooperation of participating states and reiterated that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs would continue regular regional consultations to foster dialogue, identify local challenges, and accelerate India’s urban transformation journey.
