“Huge deficit” in R&B Dept allocation leads to interesting debate in Telangana Assembly

Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) MLA and former Roads & Buildings Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy
| Photo Credit: Screengrab of video on handle @BRSparty on X

The “huge deficit” in the allocation of funds for the Telangana Roads and Buildings department led to an interesting debate in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday (March 25, 2025) with the main Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) expressing doubts over the government’s sincerity in taking up major works including the Regional Ring Road (RR).

₹4,935 crore for work component while over ₹16,200 crore is required

BRS member and former R&B Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy said the government had allocated ₹5,935 crore budget for R&B department for 2025-26 of which, works component constituted ₹4,935 crore. This was in contrast with the ongoing works that would require in excess of ₹5,000 crore and another ₹8,700 crore for the works proposed by the Congress Government.

This was in addition to ₹2,500 crore that would be required for taking up renewal of existing roads in Hybrid Annuity Model. “While the requirement is in excess of ₹16,200 crore, the government had allocated ₹4,935 crore leaving a huge deficit of ₹12,000 crore,” he said. The development came at a time when the ongoing works were progressing at a snail’s pace because of the pending bills. Mr. Prashanth Reddy expressed concern that ₹1,525 crore was allocated for Regional Ring Road (RRR) in the current year’s (2024-25) budget, but not a single rupee was released.

The government, however, made similar allocation for the next fiscal (2025-26). “Works on the northern part of RRR including land acquisition will require ₹3,000 crore. Another ₹3,000 crore will be required if the Centre gives its nod to the southern part. Has the government factored in this aspect while finalising the budget proposals?” he asked.

Congress paying bills pending from 2014-15: R&B Minister

R&B Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, however, criticised the BRS claiming that the main Opposition had no moral right to speak about the RRR as “they have sold the ORR just ahead of the previous elections”. “Their focus was mainly on developing roads in Siddipet, Sircilla and Gajwel constituencies (represented by T. Harish Rao, K.T. Rama Rao and K. Chandrasekhar Rao respectively),” he said.

The Congress government was making payments for the bills kept pending by the previous Government since 2014-15 besides earmarking funds for taking up works in the coming year.

The RRR received the consent of the National Highways Authority of India which in principle allotted the number 161AA for the ambitious project. After consistent requests from Telangana government, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari assured that he would put up the details of the southern part of the RRR before the Cabinet committee for according necessary clearances for the project within two months.

“Accordingly, the detailed project report of the alignment of RRR southern part will be sent to the Centre soon,” he said.