Hyderabad Metro to chug with PM Modi's nod at 2.15 pm

Hyderabad: The big day has finally arrived for Hyderabad Metro Rail. Time 2.15 pm (IST) on Tuesday will be frozen for posterity when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the 30-km stretch of the Metro Rail from Nagole to Miyapur.

The HMRL, formed in 2007, has come a long way, surmounting several challenges and is now ready to provide a decent, safer, faster and economic ride to the people, decongesting roads and reducing pollution levels in the process.

The Metro Rail service will be available to the people from November 29 from 6 am. Initially, the train services would be available between 6 am and 10 pm, but the duration will be extended in future. The Prime Minister after arrival at Begumpet airport at 1.10 pm will fly by helicopter and reach Miyapur at 2.15 pm for inauguration of the Metro Rail project.

After unveiling the inaugural plaza at the Miyapur station, he will travel from Miyapur to Kukatpally and back in the Metro Rail, billed as the largest Metro Rail network in the world constructed in private-public-partnership mode. The Prime Minister will leave Miyapur at 2.50 pm for HICC for the inaugural of the Global Entrepreneur Summit.

The Inaugural Plaza at Miyapur has been developed to serve as an icon, with features of heritage of Hyderabad. Unlike the other monuments which are generally fenced off, this one is being built as an open monument, accessible to all and be a ‘selfie’ point for the city.

For the last one week, Metro Rail’s trial runs have been going on, as though they are a teaser before the commencement of the services. There are 57 trains each having three bogies that would be running between Miyapur and Nagole covering 30 km. Each train could transport about 1,000 passengers.

What makes the Hyderabad Metro special is the adoption of state-of-the-art technology in all aspects such as depot, tracks, power supply, signaling, telecom and train control systems. People have high hopes and expect travel time to reduce by a great extent. The train can touch a maximum speed of 80kmph.

The Ameerpet inter-change station, spread over 2 lakh sft is among the biggest metro stations in India. According to recent studies, during peak hours, traffic in the city moves at 12 km per hour.

Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao says that 18 million sft of commercial space will be made available for the project to augment its income for it to remain viable. This apart, advertising will also fetch revenue for the HMRL, he said and expressed confidence that the entire project would be in place by next year.

For the commuters who intend to avail a rebate, could purchase smart card and use it to travel on the trains and on an experimental basis smart bicycles are also made available at a few stations for the commuters to use them using their smart cards. As the bikes are geo-tagged, they could be found even if one attempts to make off with them.

In fact, close to 7,000 smartcards have so far been sold at Prakash Nagar, Tarnaka, Nagole and Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar . The smartcards cost Rs 200 each with Rs 100 being the top-up amount. B N Rout, a lecturer said, “I will be taking a ride on Wednesday along with my kids. It is a historic occasion and I want my children to remember this day. My father had taken me for several rides in Kolkata and I enjoyed them. I want my children too to have fond memories.”

But the Metro fares have not gone down too well with the people. Ram, software professional, says, “Comfort wise, the Metro Rail is bound to be good but the fare is on the higher side. For a large section of the people travelling by bus still would be cheaper.” Anjana, a banker said, “I have been eagerly waiting for the Metro launch. It takes more than an hour from Panjagutta to Marredpally and now I understand it would take 10-15 minutes. I cannot wait to hop on the train.”