HMDA issues legal notice to Revanth Reddy on ORR issue

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has sent a legal notice to Malkajgiri MP and Congress party State president, A.Revanth Reddy seeking an unconditional apology in public within 48 hours for his reported “false and defamatory statements on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) lease” and also asking him to cease and desist from making similar baseless and disparaging remarks.

Stating that the endeavour to monetise the ORR through the Toll-Operate-Transfer model and generate revenues on similar lines as being done by the NHAI, was done in a fair, lawful and transparent manner and IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited emerged as the successful bidder, the HMDA said in the notice accusing Revanth Reddy of making false and sweeping allegations through press meeting/interview.

It reiterated that neither the terms of RFP nor Tender/Bid Document prescribe any requirement whereby the successful bidder i.e., IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited is contractually obligated to make any advance payments prior to conclusion of contract.

“It is amply clear that allegations with respect to non-payment of fee is pre-mature and in fact pre-meditated only to malign our clients with an intention to raise false alarm within the general public,” the legal notice said.

The HMDA has not received any requests for extension of time from the concessionaire and no such extension of time was granted, the HMDA notice said while describing Revanth Reddy’s statements as ‘patently false and clearly reek of malice’.

On other statements made by the Congress leader, the notice said, “The present tender is floated on TOT basis for operation and maintenance of the ORR for a particular period of time and at no point does the tender seeks to transfer the ownership of any of the assets pertaining to the ORR.”

The legal notice said failure on part of Revanth Reddy to offer an unconditional apology in public within a period of 48 hours from the receipt of the notice, and cease and desist from actions to defame the HMDA with false remarks and statements, would result in appropriate legal actions, both under the civil and criminal laws.