Published Dec 09, 2022 | 10:15 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 09, 2022 | 10:19 PM
Telangana CM KCR laid the foundation stone of the Hyderabad airport metro rail on Friday, 9 December. (Supplied)
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Friday, 9 December, laid the foundation stone for the Hyderabad airport metro rail project construction.
The 31-km-long project is expected to connect Mindspace Junction in Raidurg and the Shamshabad airport.
With an estimated ₹6,250 crore expected to be spent on the construction, it is projected to reduce commute times between the airport and the main city to just 20 minutes.
KCR said that the project is funded by the Telangana government, GMR Group, and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).
HMDA Managing Director NVS Reddy on Thursday told reporters that the Hyderabad airport metro would have bullet train-like features for better aerodynamics, with air-conditioned seating facility.
In a public meeting after the laying of the foundation stone, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief said the project involves an elevated route of 27.5 km, 1 km on the ground, and an underground passage of 2.5 km.
KCR laid the foundation stone of Hyderabad metro project. (Supplied)
KCR observed that public transport and metro rail are the only traffic and pollution-free systems in the world.
“Today, 4.5 lakh people take the metro every day. There is a need to expand this system across Hyderabad. Whether the Central government cooperates or not, we will create better connectivity in the city,” he said.
Earlier, Telangana IT & Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao — who is also KCR’s son — said that the state government has submitted Detailed Project Repot (DPRs) to the Union government for an additional 31 km of metro expansion: from BHEL to Lakdikapul (26 km) and Nagole to LB Nagar (5 km).
Reddy said that the platforms would have half-body-length screen doors, which would open only when the three-coach train arrived at its destination.
The HMDA director added that it would take 26 minutes to reach the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) from Mindspace Junction, at a maximum speed of 120 km per hour.
“Trains, with 8-20 minutes’ frequency, will display flight information details, just like in the Hyderabad airport,” he said.
Reddy also said that the Hyderabad airport metro was not just for people heading to the airport.
“It will also provide connectivity for areas on the route. We believe that people opting to live in the suburbs, such as HITEC City, can reach within 15-20 minutes,” he said.
High Speed Airport Metro. Taking the Metro to New Horizons #HAML #HyderabadForgingAhead pic.twitter.com/WlLenqrdV2
— Hyderabad Metro Rail (@hmrgov) December 8, 2022
The airport metro is expected to be built at the same height as the existing lines.
As per reports, the first station will come up about 900 metres from the Raidurg terminal station, as a new Raidurg airport metro station.
A biodiversity junction in Gachibowli will be the next station.
Then, it will climb over the two existing flyovers beside Roda Mistry College and Khajaguda Lake, and take a right at Nanakramguda junction.
It will travel on the left of the Outer Ring Road, move to the centre covering Narsingi and across the National Highway towards Bengaluru before entering the Hyderabad airport.
There, it will descend to the ground and move for about a kilometre before reaching the terminal with an underground station.
Reddy exuded confidence at completing the project in the next three years.
“We have the advantage of successfully overseeing the first phase of the metro rail construction, where we had to tackle court cases and acquire 3,000 properties,” he recollected.
High Speed Airport Metro. Taking the Metro to New Horizons #HAML #HyderabadForgingAhead pic.twitter.com/QGJGIoHa14
— Hyderabad Metro Rail (@hmrgov) December 8, 2022
