Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao who is keen on completing the 72 km Hyderabad Metro Rail and extending it to new areas, has not been able to inaugurate the service so far.
The Hitec City-Ameerpet Metro Rail stretch is yet to get the required certifications which are mandatory before Mr Rao can inaugurate the service. This has to be done in quick time because the model code of conduct could kick in as early as next month ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
A similar sequence of events unfolded before the inauguration of the Ameerpet to LB Nagar Metro Rail line in 2018. By the time Metro Rail could get certification from the commissioner of Metro Rail Safety, the model code of conduct had come into place for the Assembly elections and Mr Rao could not inaugurate it. The line was inaugurated by Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan.
In 2017, the Nagole-Miyapur stretch was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Officials are unable to give a clear timeline for the CMRS certification for the Ameerpet-Hitec City stretch which is in the hands of the Centre. According to sources, the Metro is likely to commence operations before the schedule is announced, mostly in the second week of February.
It may be mentioned here that on January 25, Mr N.V.S. Reddy advised LTMRHL to get the necessary safety certification from the French company M/s Thales, which provides the CBTC (Communication Based Train Control) technology for Hyderabad Metro and from the Internal Safety Assessor, M/s Halcrow.
This activity is expected to take two weeks, following which HMRL has to get CMRS clearance which is a statutory body. Once CMRS clear
