Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday took the Hyderabad Metro Phase-2 issue into the public domain, laying out details of months of discussions with the Centre, lenders and project stakeholders. His remarks suggested that the Telangana government believes it has exhausted normal channels and is now seeking a clear decision from New Delhi.
During a detailed press conference, Revanth Reddy traced the history of the Metro project, blamed the previous BRS government for delays in Phase-1 and said no serious effort was made to expand the network during the last decade.
The Chief Minister revealed that the Centre had insisted that Phase-2 be executed by L&T, the concessionaire that built Phase-1. However, he said L&T declined, citing losses arising from project delays and the Covid pandemic. According to Revanth, the company was unwilling to take up either Phase-2 construction or future operations despite creating Metro assets worth around ₹30,000 crore.
He further stated that the Centre suggested the state government take over the Metro assets. The Telangana government then worked on a plan involving the transfer of existing Metro debt and lower-cost financing through IRFC.
However, the sharpest part of the press conference was directed at G. Kishan Reddy.
Revanth Reddy alleged that the Metro loan transfer process was being held up despite the state completing its share of the requirements. He claimed Kishan Reddy met Union ministers and opposed the transfer of funds. The Chief Minister repeatedly demanded that Kishan Reddy clarify whether he supported the loan transfer and Metro Phase-2 expansion.
He also questioned why the Secunderabad MP was not taking responsibility for a project that would largely benefit Hyderabad and areas represented by BJP MPs.
The Chief Minister’s repeated references to Kishan Reddy appeared aimed at placing political accountability on a single leader rather than on the Centre as a whole. While he maintained that he respected the Union Minister, he openly expressed frustration over the alleged delays and even accused him of acting in a manner that benefited BRS interests.
The strongest signal came when Revanth Reddy challenged the Centre to either participate in the 122-km Metro Phase-2 project or issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) allowing Telangana to proceed independently.
Political observers say governments usually do not publicly disclose such detailed negotiations unless discussions have stalled. By revealing the sequence of meetings, funding arrangements and alleged objections, Revanth Reddy appears to be signalling that private negotiations have reached their limit.
The press conference therefore served two purposes: to explain the state’s position on Metro Phase-2 and to increase public pressure on Kishan Reddy and the Centre to take a final call on the project. If there is no movement in the coming days, the Congress government is likely to argue that responsibility for the delay rests with those it has publicly identified.
