Citizens
for a Better Public Transport in Hyderabad
(A coalition
of civil society organizations and individuals)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 November 2013.
Press Release
Hyderabad
Metro Rail Project
We Refute the Lies of NVS Reddy & VB
Gadgil on Land Robbery
It appeared in the media today that the MDs of HMR and L&T Metro, Mr. NVS Reddy and V.B
Gadgil are reported to have said that they have not taken an inch of excess
land for the metro, and in fact there is still a shortfall of 22 acres or so.
We
would like to reiterate that they have already taken 71 acres of excess lands
which are not mentioned in the Concession Agreement. We challenge them to
disclose the full details and put up the same in their websites. We are
prepared for a public debate on this. This is nothing but a daylight robbery of
precious public lands worth thousands of crores of rupees. We are talking about
the land details listed in pages 179-80 of the Agreement and not about the
lands meant for depots and maintenance at Nagole, Miyapur and Falaknuma. They
are trying to hoodwink the people by covering up these issues, and only talk
about the completing of the Nagole-Mettuguda stretch etc. etc.
NVS Reddy says that those who have
been making allegations in the last five years have not proved anything. In
fact it is the other way round. All allegations made by us have been proved.
The fact that NVS Reddy refuses to appear on a common platform with us for a
debate itself is a proof of our correctness in this.
1. We would
like remind NVS Reddy and the public that the Order of Justice L. Narasimha
Reddy of AP High Court in March 2012 justifies our position that there is no
transparency in this project. We quote from the Order:
-
“The effort of the
HMR appears to be, to shield or immunise itself from any plausible
objections, and unfortunately the
State, in its anxiety to spread a red-carpet to a private agency, has chosen to
violate and break the law, enacted by itself.”
-
“there is a serious lacunae in the very launching of
the project, under the A.P. Tramways Act; though it is almost a full-fledged
railway.”…”it is totally impermissible to establish a ‘Railway’, in name,
structure and purport, under A.P. Tramways Act.”
-
“Metro Rail was granted on earlier
occasion in favour of an agency, in a similar clandestine manner, keeping the
entire project away from public scrutiny.”
-
“Acceptance of the
contention of the respondents would lead to disastrous consequences. A scheme, which involves transfer of
vast extents of Government land, acquisition of large number of private
properties, dislocation of the road transport system for a considerable time,
conferring of the largesse of a high magnitude upon a private agency, cannot take
place without reference to any public opinion.”
2. We would like to question the two MDs how
they are going to provide parking and circulation for stations in those places where
Osmania University refused to part with lands? How are the passengers in those
areas going to benefit with the lands given at Raidurg?
3.
Why should the public ask for every small information through RTI which NVS
Reddy is suggesting? This itself shows the high-handed attitude of the metro
MD. On one hand, they are claiming this project to be the most advanced
technologically but, on the other hand, they don’t want to put the important
details like Concession Agreement, DPRs, land allocations and station designs
on their websites. This itself shows how dubious their claims and methods are.
4.
They are only talking about the lands of Old Gandhi Hospital and at Raidurg as
compensation for the OU lands. This is only a half-truth. What about the 2
acres of land of Water Board at Yousufguda, 8 acres at Erramanjil, 10.25 acres
of GHMC lands/properties, 17 acres of HMDA, and small amounts of lands at a few
other places. These are not part of the Agreement. If not land robbery, what
else is it?
5.
The MDs are claiming that the project design was finalized in the pre-bidding
stage itself, hence it cannot go underground at this stage near heritage
buildings. If so, we would like to question them why they are not sticking to
pre-bid design and are changing the alignment of Line 2 towards Old Gandhi
Hospital and extending the Line 3from Shilparamam to Raidurg? Nearly 25 acres
of lands are taken at these two places only.
That means, the two MDs have no problems with pre-bid
designs and are willing to make changes to grab prime lands but will not do so
to protect the historic heritage precincts. If not hypocrisy and malicious
intentions, what else is it?
6.
We would like to appeal to Shri KCR and TRS party that if they are serious
about protecting the heritage of the city, they need not wait for the metro to
be completed and then demolish it. If they are sincere about their claims, they
should demolish the piers NOW in front of the Public Garderns.
If the two MDs are serious about
establishing the transparency in the dealings of this project, we demand that
they put up in their websites all the details regarding –
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Concession Agreement,
-
Detailed Project Reports,
-
Lands promised in the Agreement and
lands allocated along with the location and extent,
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Complete designs of all the metro
stations along the three corridors (this project is known to have got the best
design award globally but the designs for several crucial metro stations are
not even ready),
-
Complete designs of the intersections
of the Corridors with one another at three places.
If there is transparency and honesty in the affairs of
the project there is no need to indulge in publicity gimmicks by organizing
competitions in the name of “pick a click”, “Brand Ambassadors”, metro coach
exhibition etc. to hoodwink the public
especially the youth and students.
We would like to advise the so-called “brand ambassadors”
to read the Concession Agreement and understand it before competing in these
events. Otherwise, they would be spreading only lies and become pawns in the
hands of the metro authorities.
This is an externally shining project like “medi pandu” but, if opened, a lot of
muck will come out.
Sd/-
Dr.
C. Ramachandraiah, Social Scientist, Convenor, Citizens
for Better Public Transportation
in Hyderabad
(Mobile: 94400 35405).
Mr.
S. Jeevan Kumar, State President, Human Rights Forum, Andhra
Pradesh
Mr.
B. Ramakrishna Raju, State Convenor, National Alliance of
Peoples Movements (NAPM), A.P.
Mr
O.M. Debara, General Secretary, Forum for a Better
Hyderabad.
