HYDERABAD: Although Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL), in 2018, saw the unveiling of crucial 16-km line between Ameerpet and L B Nagar, the assurance of opening the Ameerpet to Hitec City stretch by December 2018 has failed to materialise. On September 24, 2018, Governor ESL Narasimhan flagged off the Metro services between Ameerpet and LB Nagar. With that, the 46-km stretch of Hyderabad Metro became operational making it India’s second largest metro network after Delhi. The 30-km stretch between Nagole and Miyapur was already in operation since November 2017.
Highlighting the achievements of HMRL in 2018, HMRL Managing Director, NVS Reddy stated that they defied the doomsday predictions of several experts that it would have been impossible to build a Metro Rail project in PPP mode. “Hyderabad Metro has become a reality and a successful Metro. It has won more than 70 prestigious global and national awards,” he said.
This year saw Hyderabad metro cross another milestone after the 30 million ridership mark in just 351 days. L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited (L&TMRHL) has run nearly 550 trips covering around 13,000 train km daily covering 25 lakh km with total trips of 1.64 lakh.The large-scale urban rejuvenation works were introduced and established.