Hyderabad Metro Phase 2 Expands to 116 km With Airport Link

Hyderabad: In its final form, Phase 2 of the Hyderabad Metro Rail, which will also connect the Shamshabad airport, will stretch to 116.2 km, and cost about Rs 32,237 crore to build. The planned line from the airport to the proposed Skill University in Fourth City will cost Rs 8,000 crore and will run for 40 km, including a two-km underground section. The first phase, in contrast, ran about 70 km.

The Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML) released the broad outlines of a project on Sunday. Speaking at the event, HAML managing director N.V.S. Reddy said that the detailed project reports (DPRs) for all new corridors were nearing completion. HAML is awaiting a comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) —a traffic study report being prepared for the Hyderabad Metropolitan Area by HMDA. The traffic projections for Metro Rail corridors need to be cross-checked with CMP, a mandatory requirement for seeking approval from the Centre.

Reddy said that the Airport Metro alignment was now being finalised via Aramghar and the New High Court location on National Highway 44 (Bengaluru Highway) to reach Shamshabad airport. This will travel via Mansanpally Road and the ORR stretch between Pedda Golconda and Raviryal exits.

The DPRs will be finalised in the next few weeks and submitted for approval of the state government and forwarding to the Centre, Reddy said.

Reddy said that 36.6 km Corridor IV, the Airport Metro, will run from Nagole to the airport via LB Nagar, Karmanghat, Owaisi Hospital, DRDO, Chandrayangutta, Mailardevpally, Aramghar, New High Court and Shamshabad Junction on NH 44. It will connected to the existing Metro at Nagole, LB Nagar and Chandrayangutta respectively. About 1.6 km of the line will be underground, with 24 metro stations including one underground at the airport.

Corridor V is an extension of Blue Line from Raidurg to Kokapet Neopolis via Biodiversity Jn, Khajaguda Rd, Nanakramguda Jn, Wipro Circle, Financial District. This is an entirely elevated corridor with eight stations.

Corridor VI, the Old City Metro, is being built as an extension of the Green Line from MGBS to Chandrayangutta. This 7.5 km line will traverse from MGBS to Chandrayangutta via Darulshifa, Shalibanda, and Falaknuma. Though the corridor is 500 metres away from the Salar Jung Museum and Charminar, these names are retained as the station names due to their historical significance. The road which is currently 60 feet between Darulshifa junction and Shalibanda junction; and 80 ft from Shalibanda junction to Chandrayangutta, is being widened to 100 ft uniformly. At the station locations, the road is being widened to 120 ft.

The MD said that about 1100 properties would be affected by road widening and viaduct alignment. Notifications have been issued for 400 affected properties and the rest are in progress. There are about 103 religious, heritage and other sensitive structures and none of them will be distrubed. This too, is an entirely elevated metro corridor with six stations.

Corridor VII is being built as an extension of the Red Line on the Mumbai highway. Starting from Miyapur, this 13.4 km line up to Patancheru travels via Alwyn X Rd, Madinaguda, Chandanagar, BHEL and Icrisat. This is a wholly elevated corridor with about 10 stations.

Corridor VIII is being built as an extension of the Red Line from LB Nagar side on the Vijayawada highway. This 7.1 km corridor from L.B Nagar to Hayatnagar goes over Chintalkunta, Vanasthalipuram, Autonagar and RTC Colony. This wholly elevated corridor will have about six stations.