Hyderabad: BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao on Wednesday called for holistic and long-term urban governance solutions to address municipal problems across Indian cities.
The former Telangana minister argued against what he described as “knee-jerk reactions” to urban challenges. Instead, he sought sustained policy interventions to improve governance and living conditions in growing cities.
Rama Rao made the remarks at ‘Sheheron Pe Charcha’, a cross-party summit organised by Janaagraha at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The discussions focused on measures to improve urban livability. He participated in a panel with JMM MP Mahua Maji, YSRCP MP S. Niranjan Reddy and Janaagraha CEO Srikanth Viswanathan.
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During the discussion, Rama Rao highlighted decentralisation measures undertaken during the previous BRS government in Telangana. He cited the establishment of medical colleges at district headquarters as one such initiative.
He also pointed to the expansion of IT Towers into Tier-II cities. According to Rama Rao, these measures helped reduce pressure on Hyderabad by spreading opportunities beyond the state capital.
The BRS leader also focused on public transport and infrastructure while discussing urban governance solutions. He said expanded high-speed rail networks could significantly reduce pressure on major metropolitan cities over the next decade.
In addition, Rama Rao identified access to capital as a major challenge for municipal authorities. He called for innovative financial models to strengthen the ability of urban local bodies to meet infrastructure and service requirements.
He also advocated inclusive governance models as cities dealt with growing municipal demands. His remarks linked urban planning with decentralisation, transportation, financing and administrative reforms. Following the panel discussion, Rama Rao visited the ‘Bharat AI Experiential Center’ hosted at the summit venue.
During the visit, he reviewed artificial intelligence applications developed for public service delivery and urban administration. The visit followed his participation in the broader discussion on improving governance and livability in Indian cities.