Governor flags off Metro train services on Ameerpet-Hitech City stretch

Hyderabad: Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan flagged off Metro train services on Ameerpet-Hitec City stretch (10 km) of Corridor-III (Nagole-Ameerpet-Hitec City) here on Wednesday.

In view of the election code no political functionary was invited and the Governor flagged off the train in the presence of Chief Secretary Dr.S.K. Joshi, MD, HMRL NVS Reddy, DGP M. Mahender Reddy, Principal Secretary, MA&UD Department Arvind Kumar, Principal Finance Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao, L&TMRHL MD K.V.B.Reddy and other senior officers of Government and L&TMRHL.

Including Ameerpet there are 9 Metro stations on this stretch, namely Taruni-Madhura Nagar, Yousufguda, Jubilee Hills Road No.5, Jubilee Hills Check Post, Peddammagudi, Madhapur, DurgamCheruvu and Hitec City stations. The train will cover this stretch in 18 minutes and the entire Corridor-III between Nagole and Hitec City (27 km) will be covered in 50 minutes as against two hours by road. With the opening of this crucial link, commuters can easily travel to the highly congested IT/ITES areas of Hitec City, Gachibowli, Jubilee Hills and other popular places like Hitex exhibition centre etc., in comfortable Metro trains.

After flagging off the train, the Governor and the senior officials travelled by the Metro train from Ameerpet to Hitec City and back. During the Metro ride, HMRL MD NVS Reddy explained the engineering and financial innovation of Hyderabad Metro Rail project to the Governor and told him as to what kind of foresight and advance planning went into the project, which made Hyderabad Metro one of the best Metros in the world. He informed the Governor that already the project won 76 prestigious national and global awards and that the Hyderabad Metro has set several new benchmarks in Metro Rail planning and construction in the world.

When the MD mentioned to the Governor that Metro Rail is five times energy efficient compared to road travel and in addition, 40% of the energy generated through regenerative brakingis also fed back into the system, the Governor advised him to give wide publicity to these facts, so that more and more people take to public transport and reduce pollution levels. Similarly, he also wanted the MD to disseminate information regarding the special efficiency of the Metro system wherein one Metro train can carry 7 bus loads of passengers and can replace 24 car lanes.

Appreciating the world class Metro station facilities built by L&TMRHLand the designer sidewalks and street furniture created by HMRL, the Governor advised Mr.NVS Reddy to make some nice arrangements where the footpaths are wider, for people to sit, relax and enjoy street food as in the cities of the developed countries. The Governor also advised the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and the MD to quickly introduce electric vehicles, mini buses and buses to provide the first mile and last mile connectivity at Metro stations, so that the roads will get decongested and pollution levels come down in the city.

Additional DGP (Law & Order) Jitender, Commissioners of Police, Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda Anjani Kumar, V.C.Sajjanar and Mahesh Bhagwat and other senior officers were also present during the event.