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Hyderabad: BJP Lok Sabha member from Chevella Konda Vishweshwar Reddy on Tuesday said that more accidents will happen if roads are good as vehicles tend to move faster.

Addressing a press conference on the fatal road accident that took place on Monday at Chevella killing 19 persons, Reddy expressed condolences to the victims and blamed the previous BRS government for the delay in completing the land acquisition at the Telangana portion of the Hyderabad–Bijapur (Karnataka) Highway, which passes through Manneguda and Parigi.

“Nowadays, if the roads are in bad condition, fewer accidents happen because vehicles move slowly. The better the roads, the bigger and more frequent the accidents,” he claimed.

Nineteen people were killed and over 30 suffered injuries when a gravel-laden tipper lorry collided head-on with a government bus at Chevella in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana on Monday.

None of the 30 injured people suffered major injuries. They were undergoing treatment in different hospitals.

Reddy said the Chevella road was constructed during the Nizam era and then rulers used it to go to Ananthagiri Hills during summer times. The same crooked road despite being in bad condition was still being used.

He further said when he became MP for the first time, he requested the then BRS government to repair the road. However, things did not move.

The BJP MP further said later he requested Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to make it a national highway and it became one in 2016. An appropriate Gazette notification was also issued.

Reddy said eight other National Highways which were announced along with Hyderabad-Bijapur NH have already been completed.

“The BRS government (then TRS) did not complete the land acquisition. Why? Is it real estate hunger?,” he asked attacking the BRS. For five years the land acquisition was not completed.

He also said though there are several banyan trees along the road, they can be translocated. He opined that had the land acquisition done avoiding crooked ways, several trees could be saved, and distance would be reduced.

Reddy said some people had approached National Green Tribunal and filed petitions. However, all the cases have been recently cleared. The work at some places also began.