Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Plea for extension of Metro rail

HYDERABAD: Whether it’s because citizens are tired of bad roads or clogged traffic, even before work on first phase of the elevated metro rail has begun, the Government is besieged with requests seeking extension of the three routes of the first phase.

Several residential welfare associations and local politicians have been making the rounds of the Chief Minister’s Office and also the Hyderabad Metro Rail office urging them to consider connecting their respective areas with the metro rail lines.

First phase routes are - Line one: Miyapur to L.B. Nagar, Line two: Jubilee Bus Station to Falaknuma and Line three: Nagole to Shilparamam, totalling 71.16 km in all. The demand from various quarters is to take these routes further towards Patancheru, Alwal, Vanasthalipuram, Gachibowli, Malkajgiri and the international airport at Shamshabad.

“While we were always sure that the capital needs such a public transport system, we are pleasantly surprised with representations from the people themselves seeking route extensions. The demand for extending metro line link till Patancheru from Miyapur is especially massive,” exclaims HMR Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy.

The distance between Miyapur and Patancheru is 14.5 km, L.B.Nagar and Vanasthalipuram – 3.5 km, Jubilee Bus Station to Alwal – eight kms, Shilparama to Gachibowli – four km, Tarnaka to Malkajgiri – 4.5 km and Falaknuma to Shamshabad – 12 km if existing terminal points of phase one is taken into account.

With Maytas led consortium bagging the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) contract for the first phase of the project, any extensions to the existing routes already finalised will have to be taken up as a separate project.

“We are examining all the proposals coming from the citizens and public representatives. The Government is preparing for the work,” said Mr. Reddy. He also pointed out that it was not necessary for first phase to be completed (likely to be four and a half years) before phase two is taken up.

Meanwhile, there is every possibility of Maytas led consortium signing a shareholders agreement and a concessionaire pact with the Government to take up Phase I in the next few days. C.V.S.K. Sarma, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration & Urban Development, will sign on behalf of the Government.

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