The allocation of a mere ₹500 crore for the regional ring road (RRR) integrating several surrounding areas of Hyderabad in the budget presented to the Assembly on Monday has raised doubts whether the land acquisition required for the project would be completed this year.
The RRR is a joint project of the Central and State governments requiring acquisition of 12,500 acres over northern part running up to 158 km on Sangareddy - Narsapur - Toopran - Gajwel - Yadadri - Choutuppal and 182 kms on Choutuppal - Chevella - Shankerpalli - Amangal - Sangareddy. While the northern side of the road has been given the status of National Highway and the State asked by the Ministry of National Highways to go ahead with land acquisition, the southern side is still awaiting such recognition as an understanding on its feasibility has not been reached.
In this background, the State government had allotted ₹750 crore in the budget for 2021-22 and spent up to ₹600 crore for acquisition of 4,760 acres on the northern belt. Nearly fifty per cent of the required land was acquired, officials said.
They added that about ₹ 4,000 crore was required for land acquisition on the north with the Central and State governments pooling ₹2,000 crore each in 50 : 50 ratio. The State government was yet to spend ₹1,400 crore as its share but allotted only ₹ 500 crore in this year’s budget which effectively meant that the land acquisition on the north will be delayed by more than a year.
The preparation of the alignment for the road by physical verification on the northern part of the project was in final stage. The preliminary survey was already completed. The alignment covered 84 villages in 18 mandals. Union Minister for Tourism G. Kishan Reddy had recently announced that the works on this part would cost Rs. 9,164 crore. But, the project cost could go up further due to cost escalation on account of any delays.
The on-field engineers were fixing milestones for a hundred meter road all along the route. The alignment was completed in three out of four districts where the road would go. It will be a four lane road initially but expanded by another four lanes depending on volume of traffic. The land acquisition would be taken up for eight lanes, officials added.
