L&T to be informed of realignment today

HYDERABAD: The Telangana state government on Wednesday will officially communicate to project developer L&T about the Metro Rail realignments at three locations to save heritage and religious structures.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday conducted a meeting with Metro Rail officials to finalise the route changes at three locations. MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi was also invited for the meeting to seek proposals on route changes in the old city area to save the religious structures.

It may be mentioned that L&T chairman A. M.  Naik had agreed to the realignments proposed by Mr Rao in a recent meeting.

However, L&T had been arguing that it had not received any official communication from the Telangana government over the realignment issue all these days. This prompted Mr Rao to end the controversy by sending out official letters on the issue.

Mr Rao directed officials to send a letter to L&T on behalf of the TS government on Wednesday seeking realignment at three locations near the Legislative Assembly, Sultan Bazaar and the old city.

“Our aim is to complete the Metro project without causing any damage to heritage structures or religious places or sentiments of any section. We have already identified three locations where alignment has to be changed and the same should be officially communicated to L&T,” the Chief Minister told officials.

Mr Owaisi brought to the notice of the Chief Minister that if the alignment was not changed in the old city, it would affect seven temples, 28 mosques and nearly 1,000 houses. Mr Rao agreed to the realignment and asked officials to convey the same to L&T.

Meanwhile, in a letter, L&T chairman Mr Naik showered praises on Mr Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday, describing him as ‘a visionary and a dynamic leader’ and offered to work with state government for the development of Telangana.

He also extended an invite to Mr Rao to visit the company’s world-class manufacturing unit in Hazira near Surat.