Another long-pending road widening stretch for the Hyderabad Metro Rail project got resolved here on Saturday. Following three years of painstaking negotiations, the Metro Rail authorities have been successful in persuading the Wakf Board and the Imadul Trust to shift the compound wall of the graveyard by 15 feet inside at the Srinagar Colony junction to pave way for works on Ameerpet-Punjagutta stretch.
For the 214 sq.yards of open land of a family grave located at the junction under the control of Imadul Trust, the Metro Rail authorities have paid a compensation of Rs. 2.56 crore for getting the right of way for the 50-foot narrow stretch. HMR Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy said that the small stretch had been a severe bottleneck on NH 65 (earlier NH No.9) for decades. With the road widening and removal of electrical transformers, electric poles and other paraphernalia, the entire Metro Rail Corridor - I (Miyapur - SR Nagar; 29 km) would be now free from any obstacles for facilitating speedy construction on the corridor, he said.
The road at the junction was being widened by another 16 ft so as to take up construction of five piers/pillars by diverting some of the vehicular traffic through the old Goldspot building or Big Bazar building road. Now that the new compound wall has been built inside, road would be laid on the site acquired in about a fortnight before the piers work begin. Another 50 sq.yards site belonging to a private owner was also being acquired, he said.
