Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has hit back at Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, calling his remarks “irresponsible” and reaffirming that the Congress-led state government is committed to transparency and upholding the federal spirit of the Constitution.

Addressing the ongoing debate over infrastructure projects, the Chief Minister highlighted the Centre’s approvals for metro expansion projects in Bengaluru and Chennai since 2021, while Hyderabad’s long-pending Metro Phase II remains stalled. He recalled his December 12 meeting with Mr. Kishan Reddy, where he urged the latter to facilitate necessary clearances, as well as his January 24 meeting with Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on the same issue.

Mr. Revanth Reddy criticised the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government for neglecting the Metro’s second phase despite its potential to boost Hyderabad’s development. The Congress government, he stated, is now prioritising metro expansion through five new corridors to improve connectivity for both city residents and visitors from across the state and country.

Musi River and Regional Ring Road

In addition to the metro, the Chief Minister underscored his government’s focus on the Musi River rejuvenation project, which he linked to Hyderabad’s cultural heritage and its role in irrigating Nalgonda district. Drawing attention to Union Minister Kishan Reddy’s past support for the Sabarmati riverfront and Ganga rejuvenation projects, Mr. Revanth Reddy accused him of double standards for opposing a similar initiative in Telangana.

The Chief Minister also raised concerns about delays in securing approvals for the Regional Ring Road (RRR), a dry port, and a greenfield highway linking Telangana to Andhra Pradesh’s seaports. He held Mr. Kishan Reddy accountable for failing to expedite these critical projects.

Call for Federal Fairness

Rejecting Mr. Kishan Reddy’s assertion that the Telangana government lacks awareness of central approval processes, Mr. Revanth Reddy emphasised that the state has followed all necessary protocols and even offered to share project costs. He accused the Centre of discriminating against Telangana, citing approvals granted to similar projects in neighbouring states.

The Chief Minister further compared Mr. Kishan Reddy’s tenure to that of senior leaders like S. Jaipal Reddy and G. Venkat Swamy, who secured major benefits such as metro rail and pension schemes for Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) employees. “What is your contribution to Telangana as a Union Minister?” he asked pointedly.

Asserting that the state’s infrastructure projects are vital for Telangana’s growth, Mr. Revanth Reddy urged Mr. Kishan Reddy to prioritise approvals and funding for proposals worth ₹1.63 lakh crore, rather than engaging in political criticism.