HYDERABAD: Two stretches of Hyderabad Metro Rail from Nagole to Mettuguda (8 km) of Corridor-III and Miyapur-Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar (12 km) under Corridor-I which are completed, will be thrown open to public services by the first quarter of 2016, IT minister KT Rama Rao said here on Friday.
“The state government has also directed Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) to explore the possibility of expanding the metro rail network for another 83 km on five different streches. Presently 72 km of metro rail line is being constructed on three different corridors in the twin cities,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after a test run of the metro rail project between Mettuguda and Uppal stations, Rama Rao, along deputy chief minister Mahmood Ali, ministers Nayini Narasimha Reddy, T Srinivas Yadav and T Padma Rao, said that dates for commencement of metro services on two stretches early next year would be announced by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
“The chief minister is keen that the project be expanded from the current stretch of 72 km to 200 km in a phased manner.
The second phase will make it a 155-km project and will provide connectivity to various destinations on the city’s outskirts,” KTR said.
Divulging more details on the second phase, KTR said, “The state government has asked HMRL to prepare feasibility plans for expansion of the project under the second phase by 83 km. This includes Miyapur to Patancheru (13 km), LB Nagar to Hayathnagar (7 km), Nagole-LB Nagar-Falaknuma-Shamshabad (28 km), Tarnaka to ECIL X Road (7 km) and Raidurg-Gachibowli to Shamshabad Airport (28 km).”
The government would make all efforts to provide last mile connectivity by connecting metro stations with various destinations through buses, he said adding that there is also a proposal to run feeder services by operating electric vehicles.
Though the Nagole-Mettuguda (8 km) was completed and was to be operationalised early this year during Ugadi, the proposal was put on hold as there would have been revenue losses. So it was decided to extend the stretch up to Secunderabad Railway station, KTR said.
“Most of the hurdles for the project have been solved and we expect the remaining issues in the Old City to be sorted out soon so that the project can be completed on time by 2017,” he added.
KTR Promises Best Compensation for Sultan Bazar Traders
Explaining the government’s motive of reverting to the original metro rail route, Rama Rao said, “After exhausting all the alternative options for change of alignments at State Assembly and Sultan Bazar, the state government has given green signal to L&T and HMRL to go ahead with the original construction plan. The government will try and offer the best compensation to Sultan Bazar traders.” “HMRL authorities agreed to develop the project even on roads as small as 65 feet. By doing so, bottlenecks have been cleared and the concerns expressed by hawkers will also be sorted out,” he said. “The government will provide a special location and make it a hawker’s paradise for those affected by the metro construction,” the minister added.