Old City Metro Rail works to begin from January 2025

Hyderabad: Preliminary works for the Metro Rail phase-II project works will begin in the Old City in the first week of January, 2025, said Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML) managing director NVS Reddy.

Addressing a press conference at HAML office here on Tuesday, Reddy said that the Metro Rail phase-II project, on Corridor VI a metro rail network would be developed connecting Hyderabad to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (Shamshabad), and also a line connecting the Chandrayangutta to MGBS line for the Old City.

7.5 kilometers Old City metro rail

“This 7.5 km line from MGBS travels via Mandi Rd in Old City over Darulshifa Jn, Shalibanda Jn, and Falaknuma. Though the corridor is 500 metres away from Salarjung Museum and Charminar in Hyderabad, these names are retained as the station names due to their historical significance,” Reddy said.

Elaborating further, the Old City Metro rail project has no major Right of Way (RoW) or Land Acquisition issues. At present the land acquisition process is progressing at a brisk pace in the Old City. Out of 1,100 and odd affected properties, property sketches were sent for 800 to Hyderabad District Collector Anudeep Durishetty. Public notices were issued to 500 properties and PD issued for 200 properties, while works would be awarded in the third week of December and demolition would begin from the last week of December, he said.

Reddy also said that with increasing demands for Metro expansion & Phase-I experience, Phase-II requirements were reviewed with Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. Ten review meetings were held by the chief minister during the last 10 months. Traffic and Transportation surveys were done by consultants M/s Systra.

Earlier studies by other agencies like LEA and Aarvee were taken into account. After going through the studies, the chief minister has emphasised that Phase II Route Selection should cater to the needs of all sections of society and equitable growth of the city on all sides, he added.

Systra drafts DPR for five corridors in Hyderabad’s Metro Rail Phase-II project

The expansion of existing corridors would be done as per traffic requirement on all sides and connectivity of existing three corridors to the newAirport Metro Corridor. The total estimated cost of the Metro Rail Phase-II project is Rs 24,269 crore. In Phase- II six corridors were identified with a length of 116.4 km. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) was readied by Systra for five corridors with a length of 76.4 km. The sixth Corridor (RGIA-Fourth City: 40 km) delinked and DPR for remaining five corridors (76.4 km) submitted to the Union Government on November 4, with approval of the State Cabinet, the HAML MD said.

Explaining the reason for non-inclusion of Paradize – Kandlakoya/Medchal ; & JBS – Tumukunta / Shamirpet Corridor in the initial Phase-II expansion, Reddy said that the the Union Government has kept a condition of availability of 90 per cent RoW (Right of Way).

The approved corridors under phase-II are:

Corridor IV: Nagole – RGIA (Airport Corridor) 36.6 km

Corridor V: Raidurg – Kokapet Neopolis - 11.6 km

Corridor VI: MGBS – Chandrayangutta (Old City Corridor) - 7.5 km

Corridor VII: Miyapur – Patancheru - 13.4 km

Corridor VIII: LB Nagar – Hayat Nagar - 7.1 km

Corridor IX: RGIA – Fourth City (Skill University) - 40 km

Technical details

Giving a detailed outline about the technicalities of the Metro Rail Phase-II project, the HAML MD said other than 1.6 km underground in the Airport area, the entire Phase-II corridors are elevated. The average speed would be 35 kmph (efforts on to increase avg speed of Airport Line). Steps would be taken to integrate the Metro Rail Phase-II project with various modes of Transport such as MMTS, TGRTC and LMC. Apart from that, latest technologies would also be proposed for signaling, OHE, Fare collection, Rolling stock etc. Initially three car trains; later six car trains would be operated.

However, platforms would be built for six car trains. A Viaduct : Precast Double ‘U’ girder would be set up for ease and to speed up construction With Phase-I experience, more space acquisition at Ground level for parking, bus bays, auto/feeder services bays etc would also be developed, he said.

7.96 lakh ridership per day estimated for phase-II corridor

Around 7.96 lakh metro ridership daily is expected for the phase-II corridor by 2028, Reddy said. Corridor IV to be developed with a length of 36.8 km (24 stations) between Nagole – Shamshabad RGIA (Airport Corridor) would have the highest ridership of 3.70 lakh passengers per day. The Corridor V to be developed with a length of 11.6 km (8 stations ) between Raidurg - Kokapet Neopolis would handle 92,000 passengers per day.

While the Corridor VI to be developed with a length of 7.5 km (6 stations) between MGBS - Chandrayangutta (Old City Corridor) would handle 72,000 passengers per day. On the other hand, the Corridor VII to be developed with a length of 13.4 km (10 stations) to be developed between Miyapur – Patancheru would handle 1.6 lakh passengers per day and Corridor VIII to be developed with a length of 7.1 km (six stations) between LB Nagar - Hayat Nagar would handle 97,000 passengers per day.

Govt approves Metro Rail Phase-II project with Rs 24,269 crore

Reddy also said that the total estimated cost of the project is Rs 24,269 crore. Of this, the state government will bear Rs 7,313 crore (30 percent), while it expects the Centre to provide Rs 4,230 crore (18 per cent). Additionally, Rs 11,693 crore (48 per cent) will be sourced through loans from multilateral agencies such as JICA, ADB, NDB, backed by the Centre’s sovereign guarantee. The remaining Rs 1,033 crore (4 percent) will be raised through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. Recently, the state government announced plans to complete the second phase of Metro rail in Hyderabad within four years. This phase will cover 76.4 km across five corridors.