The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Telugu Desam `flip-flop' on flyover questioned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 01, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Telugu Desam `flip-flop' on flyover questioned

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: "How many times was the alignment of the flyover, near Secretariat, altered by the TDP Government, which was completed in eight years? The ORR was changed four times since 2003. The initial proposal was to have a four-lane road but was converted into an eight-lane one to serve as a growth corridor and Greenfield project."

N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Congress Chief whip

Lack of land policy

"The Government should not forfeit its sovereign right over land by indiscriminate sales. Our party studied the Chinese model to lease out lands for 60 years for a proper utilisation. Asset management is very important but the Government does not have a land utilisation policy."

T. Devender Goud, TDP

List of acquisitions

"The Government must furnish a list of land acquisition notifications issued by it and subsequently withdrawn. It has to disclose the names of politicians and influential persons whose lands had not figured in the acquisition. "

Nomula Narsimhaiah, CPI (M) floor leader

White paper must

"The Government should come out with a white paper on the land acquisitions and suitable piece of land for affected people. "

Chada Venkat Reddy, CPI floor leader

Blatant irregularities

"Irregularities have been committed in land acquisition as some Congress leaders are doing real estate business. The Congress has turned Indira Gandhi's slogan `Garibi hatao' into `Garibonko hatao.'

G. Kishan Reddy, BJP

Judicial probe

"A sitting High Court judge should probe the land acquisitions in and around Hyderabad. The issue must be referred to a House Committee. Over 10,000 acres of Wakf lands have been grabbed by the Government for major projects."

Akbaruddin Owaisi, MIM

Expert opinion

"The ORR realignment has been suggested by experts on technical grounds."

T. Jeevan Reddy, Congress