TRS neglected roads to open doors for privatisation: Telangana Congress

HYDERABAD: Senior leader and Telangana Congress treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy on Wednesday alleged that the TRS government intentionally neglected road maintenance in the city only to open the doors for privatisation of road development and maintenance.
Municipal administration minister K T Rama Rao, while replying to a question in the recently concluded budget session of the assembly, announced that the state government would spend Rs 2,819 crore towards the development and repair of roads in GHMC limits during current financial year.
Opposing the proposal to hand over the maintenance of roads to private agencies, Reddy said that it was only aimed at benefitting the private companies and contractors and not at improving the road condition. He demanded that the funds be given to GHMC and not private agencies. "The GHMC roads remained neglected under TRS regime for the last five-and-half years. Not even 1% of the total budget was spent on maintenance or upgradation of civic infrastructure in the city. The GHMC was deprived of funds which deteriorated the condition of roads. The quality was so substandard that they could not withstand a single spell of rain," he alleged.
He said that KTR must focus on filling up potholes and take up immediate repairs. “The government, through privatisation, wants to dilute the role of GHMC and cut jobs in Engineering and other sectors,” he said, and added that Congress would oppose the move and launch mass agitation if city roads are not improved.