HC Asks Govt To Provide ORR Information To Revanth Reddy In 15 Days

The Telangana High Court today heard a petition filed by TPCC president A Revanth Reddy against the denial of information on the ORR (Outer Ring Road) toll gate tenders under an RTI application filed by him.

The court asked the State government why it did not provide the information to a sitting MP, and what the main purpose of the RTI Act then was.

It also wondered what the public representatives from the Opposition would speak based on if they were not provided with the information under the RTI.

The High Court directed the State government to give the details sought by Reddy within two weeks from the date of the receipt of the orders.

During the course of arguments, the advocate general told the court that he was ready to give details.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on August 4.

Reddy had filed the petition in the High Court alleging that the authorities had not provided him the information he had sought related to the transfer of the toll management (TOT) of the Nehru Outer Ring Road (ORR) despite a formal request under the Right to Information Act.

"I had applied for the first time on May 1, but on May 23, only a small amount of information was given. I applied again on June 14. We have asked for information regarding the ORR lease reports, the cabinet's decision on giving it on a 30-year lease, and the total income earned in the years 2021-22 and 2022-23. Was the lease transparent or not? This information is crucial to know. But though the application was filed on the 14th of last month, there has been no response from the authorities so far," Reddy said in his petition.

He said that the conduct of the authorities was in violation of the RTI Act as well as of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution.

He had included the Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration and Urban Development, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), the Public Relations Officer of the Hyderabad Growth Corridor Limited, and the MD of FAC as respondents in his petition. He also sought directions to the respondents to provide the information sought under the RTI Act.

For the uninitiated, the State government has decided to hand over the responsibility of maintaining the ORR and collection of the toll to IRB Infrastructure Development Limited and IRB Golconda Expressway Limited for a period of 30 years.