No irregularities in award of metro rail project contract: Sharma

Hyderabad, Sep 22 (UNI) Denying irregularities in the award of Rs 12,132 crore Hyderabad Metro Rail project to a consortium led by the Maytas Infra, Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration Secretary and Hyderabad Metro Rail Project Chairman C V S K Sarma today said the contract was decided in ''most transparent manner'' by floating global tenders.

Talking to reporters here, he dismissed as ''baseless'' charges allegedly made by Delhi Metro Rail Project Chairman and Managing Director E Sreedharan in a letter to Planning Commission Vice-chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in connection with the project.

Demanding an apology, Mr Sarma threatened to file a defamation suit.

Mr Sarma justified handing over of 269 acres of land to Maytas for real estate development, saying the State Government was able to save Rs 10,000 crore which it otherwise would have to invest.

On September 19, the concession agreement was signed by Mr Sarma and Maytas Metro Managing Director B Teja Raju in the presence of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

The mega project is expected to be started in the next five months and completed in the year 2012.

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