Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, soon after assuming charge, had laid the foundation stone for the Old City Metro Rail project at Falaknuma — one of the pressing demands of the people who have been facing immense hardship for their commute.
The project, pending for about 12 years, would redress the problems of an estimated 15,000 people from the Old City who work in HiTec City. This would also help a large number of visitors who come to the Shamshabad airport since many people from this area work in the Gulf and also use the airport for Haj or Umrah travel.
When contacted, HMRL Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy said that the detailed project report (DPR) will be ready by this month end. “We will then take the state Cabinet’s approval and send it to Centre.”
Though Phase 1 of the project had been approved earlier, its cost and other requirements have undergone changes since the earlier DPR had been prepared in 2003, he added.
The Metro Rail line will start at Afzalgung and pass through Darulshifa, Purani Haveli, Etebar Chowk, Alijah Kotla, Mir Momin Daira, Haribowli, Shalibanda, Shamsheergunj and Aliabad and end at Falaknuma. There would be four stations — Salar Jung Museum, Charminar, Shalibanda and Falaknuma.
In the previous DPR, it had been estimated that around 1,100 properties would be demolished for widening of the road up to 100 feet, and 120 feet at the station locations. The project is expected to cost about Rs2,000 crore inclusive of the cost of road widening and shifting of utilities.
