The Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) project will have seismic arresters all along the three corridors to withstand earthquakes or tremors.
Hyderabad and Secunderabad are located in a zone where earthquakes from 4.5 to 5.0 on the Richter scale can occur but any tremors measuring between 5.8 and 6 on the eastern side can affect the twin cities, particularly in areas like Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills. HMR managing director NVS Reddy told Express that since it would be an elevated railway for a length of over 72 km, seismic arresters would help in minimising the damages to the pillars and the viaduct structures in case of tremors measuring 7 to 8 on the Richter scale.
HMR technical experts, who has vast experiences in Indian Railways, Delhi Metro and other metros in the country, strongly suggested installation of seismic arresters all along the three metro corridors, Reddy said.
Since Hyderabad Metro is a long elevated metro rail, there is need to have some kind of mechanism to minimise the damages to the main structure in the event of an earthquake or tremors. Seismic arresters will be designed to bear jolts up to 8.0 on Richter scale, he added.
Though earthquake occurrences are rare in Hyderabad, earthquakes are a phenomenon that cannot be predicted. Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills are prone to minor tremors. The city witnessed minor earthquakes in 1982 and 1983. Metro rail would be the first project in the state to have seismic arresters, he said.
The seismic arresters will be installed on the following corridors:
Corridor-1 from Miyapur- LB Nagar (29 km) passing via JNTU College, KPBH Colony, Kukatpally, Balanagar, Moosapet, Bharat Nagar, Erragada, ESI Hospital, Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar, Ameerpet, Punjagutta, Errum Manzil, Khairatabad, Sachivalayam, Vidhan Sabha, Nampally, Gandhi Bhavan, Medical College, Malakpet, New Market, Moosaram Bagh and Dilsukhnagar.
Corridor-II from Jubilee Bus Station to Falaknuma (15 km) via JBS station, Secunderabad, Gandhi Hospital, Ramnagar, Ashoknagar, Chikkadpally, Narayanaguda, Sultan Bazar, Salarjung Museum, Charminar, Shalibanda, Shamsheergunj and Jangam Met. Corridor-III from Nagole to Shilparamam (28 km) via Tarnaka, Lalaguda, Mettugada, Secunderabad, Parade Grounds, Paradise, Rasoolpura, Prakasamnagar, Begumpet, Ameerpet, Madhura Nagar, Yousufguda, Jubilee Hills checkpost, Paddamma temple, Madhapur and Hitec City.