HYDERABAD: The JBS-MGBS Green Line of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited, which is set to be inaugurated on Friday, will play a key role in connecting the twin cities of Secunderabad and Hyderabad.
With the opening of the Green Line, travel time from one end to the other is expected to reduce to 16 minutes, as compared to around 45 minutes by road.The Green Line also has two unique stations — the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) interchange metro station spread across three lakh square feet, and the JBS Parade Ground metro station. The former is considered the largest metro station in the country and the tallest in the city.
MGBS largest in country
The MGBS metro station is built in a unique way, interchanging both the corridors, namely Corridor 2 (JBS to Falaknuma) on a higher plane and Corridor 1 (Miyapur to LB Nagar) on the lower plane. There are a total of three levels, with each level split into two, as one corridor passes over the other. All the facilities in the stations are integrated and passengers can seamlessly transit from one corridor to another.
The HMRL claims that the station, in terms of space, is designed to accommodate the future needs for the next 100 years. It houses retail outlets, entertainment zones and convenience outlets at the concourse level.
The roof is designed with tetrahedron-supported columns to give it an ‘airport look’ and is placed on the edge, for unobstructed view and improved aesthetics. Intermediate floors between the slabs have been created to accommodate technical services.
The station is provisioned with two entry-exits and wider skywalks from both sides of the waterfront. An additional entry-exit is provided at the foot of the existing bus facility for alighting passengers. Four escalators and two lifts have been provided for this purpose. Advanced building management system has been set up to monitor operations from a single command control centre.
The Green Line covers a total of nine stations, namely JBS-Parade Ground, Secunderabad West, New Gandhi Hospital, Musheerabad, RTC X Roads, Chikkadpally, Narayanguda, Sultan Bazar and MGBS. Apart from the JBS Parade Ground station and the MGBS, all of the remaining stations are designed as typically.
Secunderabad West and Gandhi Hospital stations are located close to the Secunderabad Railway Station and Gandhi Hospital respectively. Commuters can alight/deboard these stations comfortably via the four entry-exits.
Other stations, such as, Musheerabad, RTC X Roads, Chikkadpally, Narayanaguda and Sultan Bazar are located at the prime traditional centres of the city that has several commercial and educational establishments. All the above mentioned stations are provided with sufficient number of lifts and escalators.
Metro marvel
Unlike at other stations, where trains halt for a minimum of 20 seconds, in the MGBS interchange station, they will stop for two minutes. Passengers will have enough time to alight and board another train located on another level in the station
As many as 60,000 passengers are expected to use the station every day. The open spaces, lifts, escalators and staircases will be able to accommodate a minimum of 6,000 passengers at any point of time
The integrated station has four lifts, 12 escalators and sufficient number of staircases
Fully-automated pumps of two lakh litre capacity each have been provided for domestic use as well as fire exigency
An energy-efficient system is being used to provide air conditioning at the station
An emergency evacuation system for the station, in addition to an automated fire protection system with clean gas, are installed in the technical rooms
Rainwater harvesting pits are located below the arms of the station to store surface runoff
More than 150 CCTV cameras are installed for surveillance
‘Why the hurry in opening new Metro line?’
TPCC spokesperson G Niranjan asked Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao why he was taking up the of the JBS-MGBS Metro in a hurry. In an open letter on Thursday, he slammed the CM for not extending the Metro Corridor-2 upto Falaknuma and alleged that the State government has not been taking up the project owing to objections from the AIMIM
‘What about line from MGBS to Falaknuma?’
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi took a dig at the HMRL over the inauguration of the JBS-MGBS Metro line, asking when it would launch the stretch from MGBS to Falaknuma. Reacting to the announcement of the new metro route’s launch on Twitter, he said “Amazing that you have funds for JBS and MGBS When will @hmrgov start and complete MGBS to Falaknuma?”