Old City metro needs acquisition of 1,000-odd properties, including 103 religious structures: NVS Reddy

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) on Sunday began the preparatory works for undertaking the much-awaited metro rail works in the old city, following the instructions given by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.

According to HMRL managing director NVS Reddy, the 5.5km balance metro alignment in the old city is from MGBS to Falaknuma via Darulshifa junction - Purani Haveli - Ettebar Chowk - Alijakotla - Mir Momin Daira - Haribowli - Shalibanda - Shamsheergunj and Aliabad.

There would be five stations, viz., Salarjung Museum, Charminar, Shalibanda, Shamsheergunj and Falaknuma. Though the metro station locations are about 500 meters away from Salarjung Museum and Charminar, these two stations would be named after them in view of their importance and pride of place in the city, NVS Reddy said.

There were 103 religious and other sensitive structures, including 21 masjids, 12 temples, 12 Ashoorkhanas, 33 dargas, 7 graveyards and 6 chillas in this stretch. Through engineering solutions like adjustment of curvature, viaduct design and heights, suitable alteration of metro pillar locations etc. Other than four of all these religious/sensitive structures have been saved, the HMRL MD said.

Following the instructions from the Chief Minister and Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Minister KT Rama Rao, further engineering refinement was being done to the metro alignment to save the remaining four religious structures also. To save religious/sensitive structures, road widening would be restricted to 80 feet.

Learning lessons from the Phase I project in the rest of the city, roads would be widened at the station locations to 120 feet. Preparation of individual sketches of the 1000 odd affected properties had begun and land acquisition notices would be issued in about a month, NVS Reddy added.