The state government plans to utilise U-girders for a faster, more economical completion of the Hyderabad Metro's second phase, focusing on smaller stations and enhanced safety features. (DC File Image)
HYDERABAD: The state government plans to use U-girders for the faster, and cheaper, completion of the second phase of the Hyderabad Metro Rail project. The U-girders involve U-shaped, pre-tension and precast girders.
The box girders, which Hyderabad Metro had used in the first phase, required longer construction time, while the U-girders will minimise the need for foundations and piers. Additionally, the new phase will feature smaller, primarily single-level metro stations, as opposed to the multi-level stations of Phase 1, officials sources said.
According to sources, these plans were reviewed during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy with officials from Hyderabad Metro Rail and the municipal administration and urban development (MAUD) department. The government aims to complete the 116.4-kilometre second phase within four years, as recently approved by the state Cabinet.
The project is divided into two parts — Part A includes five corridors covering 76.4 km, with an estimated cost of Rs 24,269 crore, while Part B features a 40-km corridor, with final alignment and cost details still being determined.
The first phase of the Hyderabad Metro was developed as a public-private partnership (PPP) with two- to three-level stations to accommodate commercial spaces leased by L&T to recover its investment. The second phase will be a joint venture between the Central and state governments, with PPP involvement limited to just four per cent of the project cost. This allows for simpler, smaller stations focused on transportation rather than commercial leasing.
Addressing a major issue in the first phase, the government plans to designate one acre of land near each new station for parking, an essential addition that was lacking in the first phase.
The second phase will also incorporate environmentally-friendly green coaches, capable of a safe speed of 95 kmph and operational speed of 85 kmph. Plans are devised to install platform screen doors (PSDs) in Metro stations to prevent accidental fall or jumping onto the Metro tracks being implemented in Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi Metro projects.
The PSDs are installed primarily as a crowd management feature in the stations, as these gates help passengers to queue up properly near the designated Metro door areas and enhance safety.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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