Urban local body polls likely by Feb 15; Rs 2.7K cr for Metro

Hyderabad: Chief minister A Revanth Reddy-led cabinet on Sunday approved the conduct of municipal elections in the state "as early as possible", probably before Feb 15.The cabinet also approved release of Rs 2,787 crore towards land acquisition for Hyderabad Metro rail phase-II A and Phase-II B corridors. The cabinet meeting, held at the Sammakka Saralamma jatara site at Medaram, also decided to develop and provide facilities to the pilgrims on par or better than Tirumala and Kumbh Mela (Prayagraj).Briefing the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting held at Medaram, for the first time outside Hyderabad, ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and D Anasuya (Seethakka), along with local MP Balram Naik, said the cabinet decided that elections to 116 municipalities and seven municipal corporations in the state, where the term of elected bodies was over, should be conducted at the earliest."The cabinet discussed in detail that Mahashivaratri is on Feb 15 followed by start of the holy month of Ramzan on Feb 16. Thereafter the annual examinations of the Board of Intermediate will start followed by SSC (Class 10). As the reservations have already been fixed in the municipal bodies, based on the dedicated BC commission's report, the cabinet unanimously approved conduct of municipal elections at the earliest," minister Srinivas Reddy said.Sources told TOI that the election schedule for urban local bodies (ULBs) is likely to be issued on Jan 20 or any day after that day. The govt wants to complete the election process before Feb 15. However, elections to the expanded GHMC might not be held now.The minister said the cabinet discussed in detail about taking over Hyderabad Metro project from L&T and sought more details from officials, to be placed in the next cabinet meeting. It also approved sanction of Rs 2,787 crore for acquisition of land on a war footing for expansion of Metro phase-II A and B corridors.Other decisions included allotment of land to central and state govt undertakings at 14 places, including Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar for construction of SBI corporate office buildings; organising Godavari Pushkarams from July 27 to Aug 3, 2027; developing Basara to Bhadrachalam as a temple tourism circuit; constructing an elevated nine-km corridor from Command Control Centre to Shilpa Layout in Hyderabad; approval for construction of Potlapuram lift irrigation project in Mulugu mandal at cost of Rs 143 crore; bringing Godavari water to Jampanna Vagu through a pipeline with Rs 35 crore; approving additional posts in the law and pharmacy departments of the Mahatma Gandhi University, Nalgonda; and expediting Rs 13,500 crore worth HAM road works in the state. Also, TGIIC was allotted 494 acres in Abdullapurmet mandal for an eco project development.Addressing the people at Medaram, CM Revanth Reddy said he would dedicate the renovated Sammakka Saralamma jatara site to devotees on Monday. "The Congress govt will develop this ‘punya kshetram' (holy place) on the lines of Tirumala and Kumbh Mela," Revanth Reddy added.