Responding to the allegations made by the ‘Citizens for Better Transport for Hyderabad’ that 71.39 acres of excess land has been given to the Concessionaire for the Hyderabad Metro Rail project, L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd., managing director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd NVS Reddy in a press release on Friday clarified that not a square yard of additional land has been or will be given to the Concessionaire beyond what is indicated in the Concession Agreement.
According to HMR, as per the Concession Agreement signed in September 2010, Government of Andhra Pradesh was to provide 269 acres of land (212 for depots + 57 for parking & circulations areas) to L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd, for building 3 Metro Rail depots at Miyapur, Uppal and Falaknuma (212 acres) and for creation of parking & circulation areas at identified 25 locations (57 acres) by early 2011. However, due to court cases the process of handing over the identified lands was delayed or completely stalled.
So far, 210 acres were given for the depots and 57 acres for parking and circulation areas at different locations to the Concessionaire. Out of the 57 acres of parking & circulation area lands handed over to the Concessionaire, 34.46 acres are as per the agreement and 22.54 acres are alternative lands.
To make good the shortfall of parking and circulations areas at a number of stations, alternative lands were arranged mainly at Raidurg and Old Gandhi Hospital, the release said. ‘’We are strictly following the provisions of the Concession Agreement and we are accountable to a number of agencies checking our records,” Reddy said.