Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Telangana, KT Rama Rao, state development minister and BRS working president, has made an appeal to the Centre to exchange Defence Ministry’s land in Secunderabad with government land in the outskirts of the city.

The minister, who sought the land for development of urban infrastructure such as skywalks, asked the prime minister to come up with good news.

Modi is scheduled to visit Warangal on 8 July.

Criticising the Centre, the urban development minister said if the BJP led Central government was unwilling to support Telangana, then at least it shouldn’t create hurdles in its way.

Speaking at a programme after inaugurating an interchange at Narsingi on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), Rao urged the Defence Ministry to give defence plots at various locations in exchange of state owned land at the outskirts of Hyderabad in order to construct the much needed flyovers, skyways and for road widening, housing for poor and so on.

He said if the Defence Ministry was willing to part with 150 acre, the state government was ready to give 500 acres in Shamirpet in exchange.

“We are requesting the Central government to give the state land belonging to Defence to take up various development projects in Hyderabad as the city is progressing at a rapid pace.”

“Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Telangana next week I appeal to him to allot the defence land to the state government. I hope he will respond positively and share the good news with the people,” he added.

The minister disclosed that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has a host of projects for the city including an expressway on river Musi covering 55 km for better connectivity for the city. He also wants the ORR service roads to be converted into four lane roads. There are also proposals to build 14 bridges on river Musi and till date tender processes for five bridges have been completed so far.

During his visit to Delhi, Rao had requested the Central government to give half an acre of land of Defence ministry for the construction of Mehdipatnam skywalk for the convenience of the people of Hyderabad. In addition link roads at Attapur will require defence land as well as for a project at Langar Houz. However, although the state government had been pursuing this issue for the past few years, there has been no positive response from the Centre so far.