Telangana CM to meet Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar with long list

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will finally come face-to-face. Mr Parrikar could not meet Mr Rao during his Delhi visit as he was preoccupied, while the CM couldn’t attend the Defence Minister’s programme for about the same reason. This would be the first time meeting between the two, and Mr Rao will be prepared.

The Defence Minister, after inaugurated a hospital, has scheduled four hours to meet citizens. He would then meet the Governor and the Chief Minister. The top issues on the agenda are the exchange of land and approval of alternative routes.

The CM is expected to take up the AOC Gate issue, the flyover from Jubilee Bus station to Rajiv Rahadari, defence lands for roads and laying of pipelines in sensitive army lands etc.

Sources close to the CM said that Mr Rao will also take up the issue of shifting of Defence stations from the heart of the city to other locations in a phased manner.
Though it has decided to retain the Secretariat in the existing location, the TS government is eyeing the Parade Grounds land, and is ready to offer alternative site, the sources said.

Earlier, the government had sought the Bison Ground for construction of the new Secretariat. Malkajgiri MP Ch. Malla Reddy said, “The state government will be requesting the Defence Minister to pass orders on all roads, especially regarding the night restrictions. We want all the roads kept open for public at least till alternative arrangements are in place. For land exchange the state government is willing to give large parcels in Ranga Reddy district.”

The Defence Minister will land at the Hakimpet Air Force station in the morning; he is scheduled to spend  four hours in Secunderabad Cantonment visiting the  AOC, Telangana sub area followed by the inauguration of the cantonment hospital.

Mr Parrikar’s first meeting will be with stakeholders who will include GHMC officials. Minister K.T. Rama Rao will represent the state government.
Mr Malla Reddy and MLAs will discuss the alternative roads issue and the “land swap” proposal.

This is to be followed by another meeting with  Railways officials on the MMTS 2 land issue at Bolarum; the Army has been refusing to part with land to lay tracks for the MMTS.