HYDERABAD: With the defence ministry agreeing to transfer a portion of their land to the HMDA, works at the incomplete skywalk near Rythu bazaar at the busy Mehdipatnam junction are set to resume soon. The Union government, on Wednesday, approved the allotment of land necessary for the skywalk’s construction.
A total of 3,380 square yards of land will be transferred to the state government within the next four weeks. In exchange for the land transfer, the state government is obligated to provide infrastructure worth `15.15 crore and pay a licence fee for the location for 10 years.
Sources said the land transfer matter was discussed during Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on January 5. The Union minister had reacted positively to the need for transferring a portion of defence lands for the completion of the project.
The state government made adjustments to the skywalk’s design in line with suggestions from the Union government, ensuring no disruption to the defence zone in Mehdipatnam. The revised proposals were recently sent to the Centre and received approval on Wednesday.
Upon assuming office as chief minister, Revanth prioritised measures to alleviate traffic congestion in the city and directed HMDA officials to expedite the construction of the skywalk.
Attempts by the former BRS government to acquire 0.51 acres of defence land were unsuccessful, as the Union government did not respond to the state’s plea at that time. This led to a halt in the skywalk’s construction, exacerbating traffic problems in the Mehdipatnam Rythu bazaar area.
Officials told TNIE that approximately 35% of the skywalk has been completed so far. With the defence ministry’s approval, the remaining work is expected to be finished in four to five months. Construction activities will mostly take place during night hours.
The proposed skywalk will run alongside the PVNR expressway, with military land on one side and commercial buildings on the other.
Mehdipatnam skywalk
Arch pedestrian walkway length
Mehdipatnam bus depot to defence lands boundary: 50 metres
Intermediate tunnel walk length
Mehdipatnam to Rythu Bazaar and Asifnagar police station: 160 metres
Mehdipatnam to Mallepally road: 180 metres
Total length: 390 metres
Width: 4 metres
Facilities for pedestrians
Skywalk will have staircases and elevators at all hop stations
Locations
Abutting the Rythu Bazaar
Within bus bay area (Mehdipatnam)
Near Asifnagar Police Station
Near Raymond Showroom (Gudimalkapur junction)