Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao slams Centre for 'backtracking' on rail coach factory at Kazipet

TRS working President KT Rama Rao has hit out at the Narendra Modi government alleging backtracking on the proposals to set up a rail coach factory at Kazipet and an integrated steel plant at Bayyaram.

The ruling party and the BJP have sharpened their attacks on each other as the MLA graduate constituency polls for two seats in Telangana near.

After the non-starter Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) project in Hyderabad, KTR, as he is popularly known, has now targeted the Centre on the Kazipet rail coach factory and Bayyaram integrated steel plant proposals, which are part of the assurances made in the AP Reorganization Act, 2014.

The three projects in discussion fall under the Hyderabad-RangaReddy-Mahbubnagar and Nalgonda-Warangal-Khammam graduate constituencies going to polls on 14 March.

“Unfortunately, not an inch has moved on these projects despite our multiple requests. In the case of the rail coach factory we handed over 150 acres, when 60 acres was asked for. But regrettably again they decided not to take it up,” KTR said, while addressing a CII conference in Hyderabad on Friday.

“Had ITIR been grounded, and had the Central government invested more in developing infrastructure, we could have created a couple more lakhs employment in the state,” said KTR, who is also Telangana's IT, Industries and Municipal Administration Minister.

“Injustice to Telangana”

On Thursday, the TRS leader accused the BJP government of doing injustice to Telangana since its formation. “It has once again exhibited its anti-Telangana stance by failing to set up a railway coach factory in the state as promised in the AP Reorganisation Act.”

KTR cited an RTI response and criticised the Union railway ministry for stating “that there was no need to set up the factory.”

“The BJP cannot reject or take a U-turn on a promise made in Parliament. Rail coach factory is Telangana’s constitutional right and we will fight for our rights with the Centre,” said KTR, adding that the TRS MPs would agitate for the factory during the coming sessions.

The minister also lashed out at the Centre for “non-allocation of bullet/speed trains to a metropolis like Hyderabad which is again a testament to BJP's discrimination towards Telangana.”