Hyderabad all set to host Formula E

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad is all set to become a candidate host city for Formula E world championship, a race for electric cars.

The city will join the elite club of New York, London, Berlin, Rome and Seoul which have already been hosting the event, thanks to the initiative of industries and IT minister K. T. Rama Rao. The Federation of Internationale de Automobile holds the annual racing event for the most environmental-friendly cars.

A tripartite agreement will be signed by the state government, Formula E Association and Greenko, a leading alternative energy provider, on Monday “to make Hyderabad a candidate host city for Formula E race on yearly basis.”

Sources told this newspaper that Anand Mahindra, whose team is already a participant in the race, took initiative to bring India into the Formula E circuit and suggested metros like New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru besides Hyderabad. “After making field visits to all cities, the Formula E representatives in India narrowed down on Hyderabad and gave in principle approval,” sources said.

The best part of Formula E is that there would be no need to build a separate track unlike F1 and the racing would be done on existing city roads.

The team had visited the Hussainsagar circuit of Tank Bund and Necklace road, the circular road around KBR Park in Jubilee Hills and financial district road in Gachibowli. “A final decision may be made on Monday,” sources added.

The state government will play the facilitator role and the prime responsibility of it would be improving the infrastructure. “We may have to widen the roads wherever they suggest,” sources said, adding that building stands for spectators all along the track and providing other logistics would fall in government scope.

Formula E, which had its first race in 2014, is currently into its eighth season. It will start this month end in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, and the circuit covers cities like Mexico, Rome, Vancouver, New York and London.