Ahead of launch, PMO seeks update on Hyderabad Metro Rail readiness

Hyderabad: As the countdown for the launch of Hyderabad Metro Rail operations begins, the Prime Minister’s Office has sought clarification from the Chief Minister’s Office over the preparedness of HMR to launch operations from November 28.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the first phase of the Metro Rail. The PM will be in the city from November 28 to 30 to participate in Global Entrepreneurship Summit at HICC.

The PMO communicated to the CMO that the PM’s presence for the Metro Rail launch would be finalised after the HMR secured requisite statutory approvals from all regulatory agencies.

Metro Rail is conducting trial runs and is awaiting approval of the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) for the 9-km Mettuguda-Ameerpet and 1-km Ameerpet-SR Nagar stretches. 

CMRS approvals have been obtained for the 80-km Nagole-Mettuguda and 12-km Miyapur-SR Nagar stretches.

The ministry of urban affairs had written to the state government on September 25, seeking details about the status of the Metro Rail.

Following the PMO’s communication, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and municipal minister K.T. Rama Rao met with officials and directed them to ensure that all approvals are in place by November 29.

A source in the CMO said, “The teams are expected to start inspections by November 14. All the statutory approvals are expected by November 20. The CM wants the PM to inaugurate Metro Rail on November 28, prior to the inauguration of GES-2017. For that reason, he has selected Miyapur Metro station location for the inaugural ceremony, which is adjacent to HICC, the venue of GIS meet. This will be communicated to the PMO.”

The CM has asked officials to get ready an attractive inaugural plaza near Miyapur station. Beautification work in and around the Miyapur station premises are going on in full swing.

RTC studies impact of Metro on its services
With the commissioning of Metro Rail just 25 days away, the TSRTC has sent a five-member committee to study the impact of Namma Metro on its Bengaluru counterpart.

TSRTC executive director (GHMC zone) A. Purushotham Naik said the situation may be different in the twin cities, but the committee would study how the Karnataka RTC was coping after Namma Metro.

About the recent RTC survey conducted among on the Miyapur-Nagole route, where the first phase of Metro Rail will start, Mr Naik said divisional managers were compiling the data and  the outcome would be known in two days. 

“Apart from multiple choice questions, we asked the commuters what they want from the RTC after Metro Rail. We also asked them about operating new routes from the colonies to the nearest Metro Rail stations,” he said.

“About 80 per cent of commuters expressed their wish to continue in travelling in RTC buses,” he added.

Once the committee submits its report after studying the post Namma Metro situation in Bengaluru, the RTC will announce new services to colonies,” he said.

The RTC plans to operate at least 10 services to each Metro Rail station from nearby colonies.