Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy-led Congress govt has embarked on an ambitious mission of transforming Hyderabad’s core urban area, within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits, into India’s first net zero city.Addressing the TOI HYD@25 conclave, Revanth drew attention to the pollution crisis in the national capital, with even educational institutions and offices shut for some days, as well as the havoc caused by floods in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. He outlined the projects being undertaken by the Telangana govt to prevent such disasters in Hyderabad’s core urban region.The CM emphasised the need for robust infrastructure capable of withstanding high-intensity rainfall over short periods, a phenomenon increasingly attributed to cloudbursts and climatic changes. He recalled recent instances where the city experienced up to 40 cm of rainfall within one to two hours, resulting in inundated roads and severe traffic disruptions.“A key initiative to achieve net zero status for Hyderabad’s core urban region is the reduction of vehicular and industrial pollution. With the city’s rapid growth, there is a pressing need to expand the mass transport system, particularly the Hyderabad Metro rail, to ensure last mile connectivity. However, the central govt has not approved the detailed project report submitted by the Telangana govt for Metro rail expansion. The Centre has insisted on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with L&T for the project’s extension,” he disclosed.“L&T, which constructed the Metro rail project phase-I was not willing to sign the agreement for expansion. Political will was needed and we decided to buy out L&T’s stake in the Metro rail project as expanding the mass transport system is crucial to minimise vehicular pollution. Now, the state govt is the owner of the Metro rail project. Will expand the existing Metro rail network by another 76 km as part of phase-II A and another 80 km under phase-II B, taking the total network length to 250 km by 2047,” he added.Revanth also noted that the state govt has directed industries, GHMC and other relevant departments to relocate all industrial units beyond the ORR, designating semi-urban Telangana as a manufacturing hub. “While many states, I am told, are charging some percentage of tax, the Telangana govt has extended a 100% tax holiday on electric vehicles, to overcome the rising vehicular pollution,” he said.The govt has also initiated a project to rejuvenate the Musi river, which has become heavily polluted. Revanth appealed to political parties, including Union minister G Kishan Reddy, not to oppose the project. “If Musi is not rejuvenated with fresh water, future generations will not forgive us and the city and state will have to pay a heavy price. When Gujarat completed Sabarmati and Uttar Pradesh the Ganga river front project, and Delhi is taking up the Yamuna river project, why not Musi rejuvenation project be taken up in Telangana. The govt has started work on bringing 20 thousand million cubic (TMC) feet water from Godavari at a cost of Rs 7,360 crore and fill the Musi with fresh water.”
