Traders to observe bandh Friday

HYDERABAD: Shop owners between Greenlands and Madhapur, including Krishna Nagar, which falls under the Metro Rail Corridor-III, will observe a daylong bandh on October 14 demanding that the metro rail route alignment be changed.The traders say that as per the old proposal, Corridor-III was to pass through Begumpet, Punjagutta, Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills but subsequently, the HMR authorities changed the alignment to bulldoze poor and weaker sections in Krishna Nagar and Yousufguda.About 50 traders from Ameerpet, Srinagar Colony, Krishna Nagar, Madhapur and Jubilee Hills met Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders KT Rama Rao and others and sought their help in stalling the HMR’s metro move.They also vowed to fight tooth and nail against land acquisition for the proposed rail project.Their counterparts in Sultan Bazar, Badi Chowdi, Koti and Kachiguda had earlier observed bandhs against Corridor II for almost similar reasons.The traders have planned to take out rallies and stage demonstrations at different places on Thursday demanding that the State government change the revised route alignment.KT Rama Rao said the project would throw thousands of families onto the streets and assured the traders that the TRS would come to their rescue.“The HMR authorities are keen to protect the properties of the rich in Begumpet, Punjagutta, Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills and other posh areas,” he alleged.The Traders’ Joint Action Commi t tee (JAC) leader Shankar said meetings with traders affected by the Metro Rail were being held to chalk out a future course of action.“The members will go from shop to shop and request them to observe a complete bandh on October 14,” he said.