Zero response for speed rail project
Officials also informed that the HUMTA, a wing of HMDA, did not make any effort to call tenders for improving public transportation
Hyderabad: Despite the hype, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority’s (HMDA) is finding no takers for the ambitious semi-high speed rail connectivity to Warangal and to Vijayawada.
According to officials so far no one has participated in the bidding process. That apart, officials also informed that the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (HUMTA), a wing of HMDA, did not make any effort to call tenders for improving public transportation.
The UMTA had prepared a comprehensive transport report (CTR) that has been prepared by Delhi-based LEA Associates South Asia Pvt. Ltd. at a cost of Rs 15.24 crore a decade ago.
According to the CTR, metro rail should run for a 417-km stretch in the Hyderabad metropolitan area, which includes the existing project, a bus rapid transport system for 438 km and extending the multimodal transport system (MMTS) to 438 km, which includes 47 km of the existing service.
The UMTA has to conduct a feasibility study for the Rs 84,520 crore for the pending metro rail project, Rs 6,415 crore for the BRTS project, Rs 39,620 crore connecting highways passing through the city, Rs 4,750 crore for bus transport, Rs 3,390 crore for bus terminals and Rs 11,390 crore for traffic management.
Last month, proposals were invited from reputed and experienced firms for carrying out pre-feasibility study for the proposed semi-high speed rail connectivity in the two corridors.
The project would provide fast, safe and comfortable commuter systems at a reasonable fare for intra-regional movement of passengers. The two corridors have been proposed as the movement of passengers is high on these two corridors.
The semi-high speed rail is different from conventional railway as it will provide reliable, high frequency, point-to-point regional travel along a dedicated pathway. The objective of this system is to reduce dependence of commuters on road transportation. However, officials said that none have participated in the bidding process so far for the pre-feasibility test.