The famous Sultan Bazar in the heart of Hyderabad city observed a total shut down in protest against the volte-face by the Telangana Government and the l&T Metro Rail on changing the route of the Metro line.
Sultan Bazar Traders Joint Action Committee gave the call for a day long strike after V B Gadgil, managing director of l&T Metro Rail announced that the company will go ahead with its original plans of laying the Metro line through Sultan Bazar and the State Assembly building.
Normally congested roads wore a deserted look and the group of shop keepers held a demonstration with placards demanding “Save Sultan Bazar”. Police kept a close watch on the situation to prevent any untoward incident.
This was in sharp contrast to the promise of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to get the Metro project realigned to preserve the heritage structures like the State Assembly building and the Sultan Bazar, the oldest and the busiest market in Kothi area.
Earlier the Chief Minister had adopted a tough stand on the issue refusing to permit the Metro line through the Sultan Bazar and demanded a realignment though a considerable ground work was already done at enormous cost.
But in view of the escalating cost and expression of inability by the l&T to change the route, the State Government has given up its demands.
Gadgil said that as per the agreement the Metro Rail Project will pass through Sultan Bazar and Assembly. “Discussions are on only about the Old City of Hyderabad”, he told the media.
Angrily reacting to the sudden development Sultan Bazar traders decided to shut down their business. They have been opposing the passage of Metro through the area on the ground that it will lead to the closure of hundreds of shops render thousands of people jobless.
Suman Gupta, a leader of the Joint Action Committee charged the State Government with back on the promise of getting the project realigned. “It is not a minor decision. It will lead to demolition of 70 buildings and business of more than 300 traders will be destroyed and leave thousands of people including the pavement dwellers unemployed”, he said, adding that the agitation will be intensified and the cooperation of the Opposition parties will be sought.
He pointed out that before the 2014 elections, K Chandrasekhar Rao had promised that at no cost the Metro project will be allowed to pass through Sultan Bazar. “But he has forgotten his promise of protecting the heritage of the city”, he said.