Hyderabad: Out of 33 Telangana districts, 32 were connected to national highways, thanks to the Narendra Modi-led BJP government’s focus on infrastructure development, said state BJP chief and Union minister G. Kishan Reddy. The total length of national highways in the state had doubled from 2,500 km in 2014 to 5,200 km at present.Addressing the media on Friday, Kishan Reddy said the Centre has spent Rs.1,25,485 crore on developing national highways in the state over the past decade. Several major corridors connecting Telangana to neighbouring states have seen significant upgrades.He said Union minister Nitin Gadkari was scheduled to lay the foundation stone and inaugurate 26 projects on May 5. These projects span a total length of 167 km at a cost of Rs.5,416 crore. Of these, 14 projects covering 138 km had been completed at a cost of Rs.4,590 crore. Foundation stones will be laid for new road works valued at Rs.826 crore.Kishan Reddy, however, criticised the state government for delays in land acquisition, which he said were holding up several projects. He urged the state to expedite the process, citing the national importance of infrastructure development.On the issue of caste surveys, Kishan Reddy accused the Congress government in the state of conducting a “namesake” caste survey for political gain and to include Muslims among the backward classes. “This is unconstitutional and amounts to an injustice to genuine backward classes,” he said.Meanwhile, BJP workers led by party vice president N.V.S.S. Prabhakar held a rally demanding early completion of land acquisition for the Uppal elevated corridor project. Prabhakar said the project, for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi sanctioned `600 crore, has been stuck for six years due to the previous BRS government’s apathy. Shifting of pipelines, electric lines, and payment of land compensation were delayed due to mismanagement, he alleged.He also blamed former municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao and former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for non-cooperation and administrative indifference, which he said stalled the completion of the key corridor despite the Union government’s timely support.
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