State upset at a rethink on rail factory in Telangana
Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, March 5
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) has lashed out at the Union Government ignoring the state’s need for infrastructure development in general and going back on the announcement of setting up of a rail coach factory in Kazipet.
KTR, who is the son of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) and also the Urban Development Minister in his cabinet said: “The Union Government did not have any right to reject or take a U-turn on the promise made to Telangana State in the Parliament on the setting up a rail coach factory in the state. We will fight for our rights”.
Demanding an immediate review of its decision on the Kazipet factory he said all party MP have been instructed to take up the issue in the upcoming Parliamentary session. Slamming the Indian Railways that has said there was no need to set up a Railway Coach Factory, KTR said this was clearly an anti-Telangana stand.
After the Centre has acceded to the request of the chief minister, the state acquired 150 acres of land and handed over to the Central Railway Department for setting up the Railway Coach Factory, he has said.
Telangana has been demanding about eight pending railway lines, two new lines, Kazipet wagon factory, Kazipet Railway Division and setting up of Railway University. This was clearly playing favourites with states and in the just-announced budget not a single rupee was allocated any railway project in Telangana.
Regarding the announcement of bullet train and high-speed trains, the BJP government has meted out great injustice to Telangana. “Depriving a bullet or speed train to a metropolis like Hyderabad shows BJP’s discrimination towards Telangana,” Rama Rao said.
Attempts by the centre to privatise railways would have serious consequences that could cost the railways about Rs.63,000 crore annually.
“Privatisation of railways will affect millions of youths as there will be no new job notifications from Railways, the largest employer in the country,” KTR said.
