Direct metro to Hyd airport? KCR likely to lay foundation for Airport Express

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will reportedly lay the foundation for Airport Express Metro on 9 December 2022.

Telangana minister of municipal administration and urban development K.T Rama Rao took to Twitter to announce the news. "This project starting at Mindspace junction to Shamshabad Airport will be 31 KM long & will be costing approximately ₹6,250 crores," he tweeted.

He said the Airport Express Metro is a Telangana State Govt funded project & will be completed in 3 years

"We have submitted DPR & are in discussions with Govt of India for additional 31 KM city Metro expansion; BHEL to Lakdikapul -26 KM & Nagole to LB Nagar - 5 KM," he said.

This announcement comes a day after KTR said the state government will take it upon itself to complete phase II of the metro with or without the Union government's support. He was speaking during the inauguration of the Shilpa Layout flyover on 26 November.

As per sources, the metro line will continue from Raidurg and pass via Khajaguda, Nanakramguda, Manchirevula, and Shamshabad, finally connecting with the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

The metro is projected to connect the airport to the main city in only 20 minutes.

Nearly two weeks ago, KTR had asked the Central government to give Hyderabad Metro Rail phase II project in-principle approval as a joint venture between the government of India (GoI) and the government of Telangana with outside financial support.

In a letter to Union minister of housing and urban affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, KTR had also sought the inclusion of the proposal in the upcoming GoI Budget for the year 2023–2024

At the Shilpa Layout flyover inauguration ceremony, KTR said phase II is not going forward as the Union government hasn't sanctioned funds and also due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Another part of phase II will connect BHEL directly to Lakdikapul and will pass through Kondapur and other major areas in between, Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd. (HMRL) has said.

A line to connect LB Nagar to Nagole has also been proposed as part of phase II.

The phase II Project from BHEL to Lakdikapul will cost Rs. 8,453 crores.

There are currently three metro lines in Hyderabad—Blue, Green, and Red.