HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday redefined the proposals for Hyderabad Metro. Accordingly, Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd will take up extensions to existing Metro rail corridors to facilitate the growth of the city in all directions while catering to a majority of the population.
These extensions will not only be economically viable but will also help the growth of the Old City.
The Chief Minister’s decision came at a review meeting on Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II proposals during which HMRL MD NVS Reddy gave a detailed presentation. During the meeting, it was also decided to put on hold the proposed Raidurg to RGIA Metro corridor.
The Chief Minister directed the HMRL MD to ensure that the proposed expansion caters to major parts of the city and serves a maximum number of commuters. He asked NVS Reddy to refine the Phase-II proposals in coordination with the HMDA Commissioner.
On the proposal of HMRL to widen the road from Darulshifa to Shalibanda junction in the Old City for the Metro Rail stretch, the Chief Minister suggested to the HMRL MD to look into the feasibility of widening the road from Darulshifa junction up to Falaknuma junction to 100 ft, in consultation with the public representatives of the Old City.
The Chief Minister thought that this would open up the Old City for rapid development on par with the other parts of the city. Revanth made it clear that during the road widening and Metro Rail planning, none of the identified 103 religious, heritage and other sensitive structures in the Old City were adversely impacted. He said that if required, he would personally inspect and also involve the public representatives in this endeavour.
The Chief Minister directed that the Airport Metro plan of the BRS government from Raidurg to Shamshabad Airport (31 km, Rs 6,250 crore) shall be kept on hold as a very wide ORR was already available. Instead, Airport Metro connectivity shall be planned from MGBS via Old City; and from LB Nagar, duly bridging the remaining gap of five km from Nagole to LB Nagar Metro stations.
The CM directed the HMRL MD to quickly get the traffic studies and prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) for the revised Airport Metro alignment via Old City and from LB Nagar. He asked NVS Reddy to examine the feasibility of laying a part of the Metro in the Laxmiguda-Jalpally-Mamidipally stretch ‘At Grade’ (road level) in the new alignment since a 40 ft wide central median without any obstructions was available on this stretch. This can reduce the cost of Metro Rail construction, he said.
Revanth also directed HMDA Commissioner M Dana Kishore and CMO principal secretary V Seshadri to identify the large extents of government land available along this stretch to undertake Transit Oriented Development, which can contribute to part funding of Airport Metro project as well as encourage development of the Old City and its surroundings. He opined that the new alignment would result in shorter distances and save costs, apart from catering to several parts of the city.
Revanth directed the officials to prepare these plans in an integrated manner and draft a letter from him to Union Minister for Urban Development and Housing Hardeep Singh Puri. He also instructed officials to incorporate Metro Rail in the Musi riverfront East-West corridor from Taramatipet to Narsingi via Nagole and MGBS (40 km).
Revanth instructed all the senior officers present in the meeting to prepare a comprehensive Master Plan to cater to the rapidly growing needs of Hyderabad and to plan dispersed growth hubs all along the ORR. Further, Metro Rail connectivity from the Airport to Kandukur on the Srisailam highway shall be planned, where a mega township can be created on the lands already acquired for the Pharma City. He also said that Metro Phase-III plans look at the possibility of expansion from JBS Metro station to Shamirpet and from Paradise Metro station to Kandlakoya/Medchal.
