Revanth Gets AAI Nod To Build Underpass Below Begumpet Airport
"We have obtained permission from the Airports Authority of India to construct an underpass beneath the runway at Begumpet Airport. Nowhere else in the world is there an underpass beneath an airport runway," the CM said.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that the state government has secured permission from the Airports Authority of India, an airport operator under the Central government, to construct an underpass beneath the runway at Begumpet Airport to ease vehicular congestion from northern districts entering the city.
Speaking in the Legislative Council during Question Hour, he said the project would be the first such initiative in the country, involving an underground traffic tunnel beneath an active airport runway. He added that the Centre had granted approval, and work on the project is already in progress.
The Chief Minister said the government has adopted a three-pronged strategy to improve Hyderabad’s road infrastructure through underpasses, surface roads and elevated corridors. He pointed to heavy traffic inflow from districts such as Adilabad, Nizamabad and Karimnagar, which leads to congestion, particularly in the Secunderabad Cantonment area, necessitating access to defence and airport lands.
He said the government secured 153 acres of defence land by offering alternative land in Jawaharnagar to the defence ministry, adding that the focus is on ensuring signal-free traffic movement along with measures such as clearing footpath encroachments, allocating space for street vendors and creating a multi-level parking facility near KBR National Park.
Highlighting ongoing works, he said elevated corridors are being developed along the Nalgonda and Vijayawada routes. He stressed the need for planned urban growth to avoid problems such as pollution, congestion and flooding seen in cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.
The Chief Minister said the government plans to relocate polluting industries outside the Outer Ring Road and repurpose the land for middle-class housing. He added that the HILT policy aims to curb air pollution, alongside the reclassification of industrial land into mixed-use zones.
Referring to Hyderabad’s heritage, he said the city, known for landmarks such as Charminar and Gulzar Houz, is facing rising pressure due to increasing vehicle numbers.
On public transport, the Chief Minister said the government plans to take over the Hyderabad Metro Rail project from Larsen & Toubro by the end of this month or in April at a cost of `15,000 crore. He said the network would be expanded by 76 km with an estimated investment of `24,000 crore to address “last mile connectivity” issues in Phase-1, and noted that the metro needs to be linked to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad.
He said development works at Secunderabad Railway Station and Cherlapally Railway Station are underway, while metro expansion will commence following a positive response from the Centre. He also said the Centre has accorded permission for the northern part of the proposed 360-km Regional Ring Road project, expected to improve connectivity and reduce congestion in Hyderabad.
