Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) and L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad have finalised ‘cantilever’ station designs for the elevated project coming up across three corridors.
This design prepared by the L&T structural engineers and being attempted for the first time in the country, with pillars in the middle and none on the side, will be the same for 63 of the 66 overhead stations.
Designs will be different for three joint stations of Ameerpet (corridor one & three), Parade Grounds (corridor two & three) and Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station-Imliban (corridors one & two), disclosed HMR MD N.V.S. Reddy on Sunday.
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The cantilever stations of 140 metres length and 20 metres (65 ft) wide will be resting on 10 reinforced central pillars leaving the road below open. They can also accommodate six coach trains. Depending upon the road widths, connecting staircases, lifts and escalators landing on both sides of the road will be built, he explained.
With such landing facilities, an average station’s width will be 30 metres (100 ft) and wherever the road width is more, the station’s width can also be 36 metres wide (120 ft), 45 metres (150 ft) and 60 metres (200 ft) as no further land acquisitions will be done.
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Stations will have two levels. Passenger entry and exit facilities with staircases, lifts, escalators will start from the road to the first level or the concourse which will be at eight metres height (26 ft). Passengers with smart cards or after buying tickets at the counters will have to enter the paid area through the ‘Automatic Fare Collection’ (AFC) gates and then on to the platforms or second levels at 12 metres height (40 ft) through lifts, escalators, staircases to board the trains.
Eco-friendly
Mr. Reddy informed that all the stations will be eco-friendly with light roofing, natural ventilation and hence, minimum power usage. Foolproof security features will be incorporated in the station design with the approval of various security wings of Union Ministry of Home Affairs like access controlled passenger entry with baggage checking arrangements, CCTV cameras and other surveillance equipment similar to an airport.
Latest fire protection and fire detection systems will also provided. Separate bays for autos and buses, footpaths and parking space for cars and two-wheelers are other station features.
The MD said that as desired by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, pedestrian facilities like sky-walks below the viaduct and street furniture at the ground level will be provided separately by HMR.
Construction of piers
Work on stage one of the project between Nagole and Mettuguda is also progressing with 38 piers built, 83 foundations and 94 excavations done till date. More than 100 segments which make the viaduct too are ready, added Mr. Reddy.