Hyderabad Metro Rail working on metro link for airport

Hyderabad: Efforts are on to provide metro rail services between Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Shamshabad with western and eastern part of Hyderabad.

The western parts include Rayadurgam, BHEL and Miyapur. They will be linked to the airport via Old Mumbai road. Later, the Eastern areas of Nagole and LB Nagar will be linked which is for about 5 km. Then the airport will be connected from LB Nagar via Falaknuma.

Speaking to the mediapersons here on Tuesday, Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) MD NVS Reddy said as far as the Old City metro is concerned, a detailed survey has been commissioned. After connecting the MGBS with Falaknuma, which is 5.5 km, then it will be connected to the airport.

By the end of 2019, the Old City will get metro services, he added. He said the Phase I metro works will be completed by the next year. The Hitech City will be connected by December 15.

Reddy also said the metro phase II works will be taken up by the state government only. As it is going to be constructed along the Outer Ring Road (ORR), private companies would not show any interest as generation of revenue would be not on the expected lines, he added. 

He said HMR received 57 trains (171 coaches) from the South Korea, of which 35 trains were in operation including 19 trains in Phase I and 16 trains in Phase II.

Every day from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm services are being operated and the trains are reaching other terminal at 11:30 pm. If demand increases, the HMR will decide on the extension of timings.

He said that for every six minutes one train is being operated in peak hours and for every eight minutes in non-peak hours. Presently, 80,000 to one lakh passengers are travelling every day and it is expected to go up to 2 lakh passengers per day.   

He alleged that that some people are trying to create hurdles for the project. He said 10 RTI cases have been filed and several writ petitions are pending in courts against the HMR. He said till now 360 cases have been filed in which HMR won 350 cases.

L&TMR-H CEO and MD KVB Reddy said in addition to Rs 13,000 crore spent on the Metro Rail Project another Rs 2,500 crore would be spent for the completion of the project. ‘We cannot expect profits to kick in unless all the lines are connected. We cannot say when we will be into profits, but it will be very soon,’ he said. 

Speaking on the fares, he said like the fares in other metros in the country, HMR fares will be there. He said very soon they will take a decision on metro passes as the HMR has already requested the company to give discount to pass holders. He said already more than 2.5 lakh people took smartcard tickets from them.