Municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao, said the long awaited Hyderabad Metro Rail, will be operational by the end of the year.
The Minister informed the municipal administration department, in the Legislative Assembly, following a discussion on demand for grants.
KT Rama Rao, said that the Miyapur-LB Nagar Metro corridor and the Nagole-Raidurg Metro corridor will be opened in the first-phase, to the public by December-end.
The Minister did not give any statement and remained silent on the Jubilee Bus Station (JBS) -Falaknuma corridor, covering a distance of 15 km.
Mr. Rao, announced, “These two stretches, each of about 29km will be ready for commercial operations by this year-end.”
The two stretches, form an important part of the 72-km Metro Rail project. Hyderabadis can avail Metro Rail services by this year-end,” added Mr.Rao.
Started in April 2012, the major portion of the work on Miyapur-LB Nagar and Nagole-Raidurg corridors, of the Metro rail project has been completed. It was earlier expected that the Metro Rail operations, would be operating on the Telangana State Formation Day, i.e, June 2.
However, the deadlines of the Metro Rail, have been missed continuously since 2014, due to various reasons such as realignment issues and issues of land acquisition.
The Nagole-Mettuguda and SR Nagar-Miyapur stretches were completed and ready for operations in mid-2016, but the government wanted these stretches to be extended to LB Nagar and Hitech City and hence the delay, said HMR officials.
An official said, all the necessary clearances, to operate the Nagole and SR Nagar trains have already been obtained and the stations are to be ready by September.
Work on the 72km Metro rail project, has started in June 2012 and was to be completed in five years.
About 78% of the work had been completed, till February. The entire project, was to be completed by June 2017, as per the agreement signed between Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited and Construction major Larsen & Toubro, in 2010.
The total cost of the project initially was Rs 12,132 crore, but when the agreement was signed between the two firms, it was revised to Rs16,375 crore.
The state government, has also decided to go ahead, with its determined Skyway project, covering two JBS-Thumukunta and Patny-Suchitra corridors.
Minister KTR, said in a statement that, “They have sought funds from the Centre, and will go ahead with the Skyway project, even if the Centre does not provide money, to end traffic congestion.”
He further added that, the strategic road development program will be implemented at Uppal and major junctions.
KTR gave an assurance that Hyderabad would get the majority in the budget, allocated to the municipal administration department.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has been allocated Rs 1,000 crore, as budgetary support, in the 2017-2018 budget. This is the highest budgetary support, to the civic body since its establishment in 2007.
The government would also focus on sanitation, water supply, modernization of slaughterhouses and regulated growth of the city, added Mr. KTR.
Many high-capacity urban roads in the city presently have diversions and bottlenecks, with traffic coming to a complete standstill during peak hours. The traffic woes are likely to reduce with the launch of the Metro.
Construction major Larsen & Toubro, which is developing the metro project, had earlier stated that, the company remained committed to the project and was making all efforts to complete it expeditiously.
By Supraja
