Chief Minister Revanth Reddy thoroughly reviewed Phase–II of the Hyderabad Metro Rail project on Tuesday.
After a detailed presentation by HMRL MD NVS Reddy, the Chief Minister told him that the expansion proposals should cater to major parts of the city and should serve the maximum number of passengers. He asked the MD to refine Phase-II proposals in coordination with the HMDA Commissioner.
On the HMRL proposal to widen the road from Darulshifa Junction to Shalibanda Junction in the Old city Metro Rail stretch, the CM said that the feasibility of widening the road from Darulshifa Jn up to Falaknuma Jn to 100 feet should be examined in consultation with representatives of the Old city.
He thinks that this will open up the Old City for rapid development on par with other parts of the city. However, he desired that during road widening and Metro Rail planning, none of the identified 103 religious, heritage and other sensitive structures in the Old City should be impacted.
If required, the CM will personally inspect and involve public representatives of the Old City in this endeavour.
The CM said that the Airport Metro plan of the earlier Government from Raidurg to Shamshabad Airport (31 km; Rs 6,250 crore) should be kept on hold as already a very wide ORR is available. Instead, the 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.
Instructing MD, HMRL, to quickly get traffic studies and DPRs done for the revised Airport Metro alignment via Old City and from LB Nagar, Revanth asked him to examine the feasibility of laying a part of the Metro in Laxmiguda-Jalpally-Mamidipally stretch ‘At Grade’ (road level) in the new alignment, since a 40 feet wide central median without any obstructions is available on this stretch. This can reduce the cost of Metro Rail construction.
He also instructed MAUD Secretary M. Dana Kishore and CMO 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 to encourage the development of the Old city and its surroundings.
He said that the new alignment will shorten the distance, apart from catering to several parts of the city.
The CM asked the HMRL MD and HMDA Commissioner to quickly prepare these plans in an integrated manner and draft a letter from him to the Minister for Ministry of Urban Development and Housing Hardeep Singh Puri in the next few days.
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).
He also instructed all senior officers present in the meeting to prepare a comprehensive Master plan to cater to the fast-growing needs of Hyderabad and to plan dispersed growth hubs all along the ORR.
Metro Rail connectivity from the RGIA area to Kandukur on the Srisailam highway must be planned at a spot where a mega township can be built on lands already acquired for Pharma City.
He also desired that Metro Phase-III plans should cover expansion from JBS Metro station to Shameerpet and from Paradise Metro station to Kandlakoya Medchal.
Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari, IG Intelligence B. Shivadhar Reddy and CMO Secretary Shahnawaz Qasim were also present during the meeting
