Metro to Kandukur from RGIA; Airport metro via MGBS; road widening in Old City: Revanth Reddy

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday asked Hyderabad Metro Rail officials to connect to the airport from MGBS via Old City and from LB Nagar, bridging the five-kilometre gap between the Nagole and LB Nagar Metro stations, instead of the Raidurg to Shamshabad Airport plan proposed by the previous government.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy asked HMRL MD NVS Reddy to ensure expansion proposals served major city parts and a maximum number of commuters during a review meeting held on Tuesday. He also asked NVS Reddy to refine Phase-II proposals in coordination with Commissioner, HMDA.

The Chief Minister requested a feasibility study on the 100 feet widening of the road from Darulshifa Junction to Falaknuma Junction in consultation with Old city public representatives.

He believed that this would allow the Old City to develop on a par with the other parts of the city. He hoped that the 103 sensitive structures in Old City, including religious and heritage sites, would not be negatively impacted during road widening and Metro Rail planning. He said that if necessary, he would personally inspect and involve public representatives from the Old city in this endeavor.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy requested NVS Reddy to expedite the completion of traffic studies and DPRs for the revised Airport Metro alignment via Old city and LB Nagar. He also asked him to investigate the feasibility of building a portion of the Metro in the Laxmiguda-Jalpally-Mamidipally stretch 'At Grade' (road Level) along the revised alignment, as this stretch had a 40-foot wide central median with no impediments. This had the potential to lower the cost of Metro Rail construction, he added.

Principal Secretary, MA&UD, HMDA Commissioner M.Dana Kishore, and CMO Principal Secretary V. Seshadri were asked to identify large government land for transit-oriented development, which could contribute to part funding of Airport Metro projects as well as encourage development of the Old city and its surroundings.

Revanth Reddy opined that the new alignment would result in shorter distance and saving in cost, apart from catering to several parts of the city.

He also asked HMRL MD and HMDA Commissioner to swiftly prepare integrated plans and draft a letter to Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in the next few days.

He also asked Principal Secretary, MA&UD and MD, HMRL to incorporate Metro Rail in the Musi river front East-West corridor from Taramatipet to Narsingi via Nagole and MGBS (40 km).

He also asked all the senior officers present in the meeting to prepare a comprehensive Master plan to cater to the fast growing needs of Hyderabad city and to plan dispersed growth hubs all along the ORR. He added Metro Rail connectivity from Airport area to Kandukur on Srisailam highway shall be planned, where a mega township can be created on the lands already acquired for the Pharma city. He also desired that Metro Phase-III plans shall cover expansion from JBS Metro station to Shameerpet; and from Paradise Metro station to Kandlakoya/Medchal.

Revanth Reddy asked NVS Reddy to develop extensions of existing Metro corridors to nearby destinations to promote city growth in all directions

• Miyapur-Chandanagar-BHEL-Patancheruvu (14 km)
• MGBS-Falaknuma-Chandrayanagutta-Mailardevpalli-P7 Road-Airport (23 km)
• Nagole –LB Nagar -Owaisi Hospital - Chandrayanagutta- Mailardevepalli-Aramgarh-New High Court site at Rajendranagar on NH (adjacent to Agricultural University main gate) (19 km)
• Extension of Corridor-III from Raidurg station to Financial District (Wipro lake Jn/American consulate) via Biodiversity Jn, IIIT Jn and ISB road (12 km)
• LB Nagar-Vansathalipuram-Hayatnagar (8 km)