The Project Monitoring Group (PMG) of the Union Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) is learnt to have assured the state government that it will fix timelines for achieving timely implementation of major investment projects in Telangana.
The PMG, led by VP Joy, joint secretary in the Union cabinet secretariat, reviewed the status of projects with chief secretary Rajiv Sharma at the Secretariat here on Thursday. Officials of the industries department and others were present.
The PMG vetted several projects in the state including Hyderabad Metro Rail, permission for new coal mines of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) with investments exceeding Rs 1,000 crore.
According to sources, Joy discussed the pending issues of projects and the clearances needed from the central and state governments.
The legal issue of giving operation and maintenance (O&M) contract to Keolis of France also figured at the meeting. Keolis is a renowned operator of more than 60 metro rail systems across the world. HMRL is of the view that Keolis is the concessionaire and not the metro rail administrator. Sources said the matter was under consideration in consultation with the ministry of law and justice.
The legal complications in appointing the commissioner of metro railway safety in respect of metro railway projects in the Hyderabad metropolitan area too were discussed.
The proposal for laying a railway line between Krishna and Vikarabad via Kodangal was approved. The line will be useful for transporting the cement to be produced by Seetharam Cements Ltd which is planned to be set up in Mahbubnagar district with an investment of Rs 2,000 crore.
Land acquisition problems for the Mallavaram-Bhilwara-Bhopal-Vijaipur gas pipeline, which is to be executed by GITL, too was discussed at length. State government officials informed Joy that they would see that land acquisition was completed in a speedy manner. Of the 14 SV stations of the gas pipeline, six fall in the tribal areas of Telangana.
The progress of the Karimnagar Iron Ore Beneficiation Project also came up for discussion.
Source: The New Indian Express