Hyderabad: ULCoal and Mines Minister and BJP Telangana State President G Kishan Reddy stated that it is auspicious for Telangana to receive another prestigious project related to national security and defence.
He was speaking to the media at the party’s state headquarters on Tuesday.
Reddy announced that the Indian Navy will establish a Very Low Frequency (VLF) Communication Transmission Station (Radar Center) in the Damgundam forest area of Vikarabad district. The foundation stone will be laid by Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh during a Bhumi Puja ceremony today.
The station, which will be the second of its kind in the country after INS Kattabomman in Tamil Nadu, will enhance naval communication, particularly with ships and submarines during wartime.
The project, originally proposed in 2010, received environmental and forest clearances from the Telangana government in 2017, allowing for the allocation of 1,100 hectares in the Hyderabad Forest Division for its development.
Reddy criticized the BRS party and its leaders, including former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), for their alleged double standards regarding the project. He accused them of opposing national defense initiatives while engaging in political gamesmanship. Reddy cited past incidents, such as BRS opposition to using Bison Polo Land in Secunderabad for the Secretariat and inappropriate comments on national security issues.
The Union Minister also addressed concerns about deforestation, assuring that only 1,500 trees out of 195,000 would be relocated, and that the Defense Ministry had allocated Rs 130 crore for forest conservation.
He dismissed claims that devotees would be restricted from visiting the Damagunda Ramalingeswara Swamy temple due to the project and emphasized that additional facilities would be provided at the temple.
Reddy also highlighted Telangana’s strong history in hosting defense projects, including the Cantonment, DRDO, Bharat Dynamics Limited, and an Air Force Base. He welcomed the establishment of the Navy Base Center, which he said would bring employment opportunities to the region.
He urged the BRS and Congress parties to refrain from politicizing national defense issues and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh for their efforts in bringing the project to Telangana.
