The first section of the Hyderabad Metro Rail between Nagole-Mettuguda (8 km) will be completed in all aspects by December-end of 2014. And once the approval of Commissioner of Railway Safety comes, it will be opened for commuter traffic in March 2015 as an ‘Ugadi’ gift, said HMR Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy on Thursday.
He informed Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration & Urban Development S.K. Joshi at a meeting to review the progress of the project that 823 foundations, 655 piers (pillars) and 201 span lengths have been completed. Depot works are also progressing at brisk pace at Uppal (80 per cent) and Miyapur (40 per cent).
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Work was apace despite the monsoon and necessary precautions too were being taken.
About 200 skywalks, quality public space at Metro Rail stations with street furniture, bicycle stations, bicycle tracks, footpaths and other pedestrian facilities in the metro corridors are going to be taken up as part of the urban redesign programme, he explained.
Dr. Joshi advised Mr. Reddy to go for the latest technologies for commuters’ convenience and go for a common ticket for all modes of transport in coordination with SCR and RTC.
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GHMC Additional Commissioner Ronald Rose and Chief Project Manager Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, P. Srinivas, in their presentations, said that tenders were in an advanced stage of finalisation for selecting contract agencies to execute MMTS Phase-II. Mr. Joshi sought a detailed project report for phase-II works to assess the traffic potential, expected earnings and innovative methods to make the system viable on the lines of Metro Rail initiatives. Mr. Reddy was asked to lend his expertise to the project.
Earlier, the HMR MD also held a meeting with Fire Services Director General N. Sambasiva Rao to discuss fire safety measures being incorporated at Metro Rail facilities such as depots, stations and commercial buildings. Two modern fire stations are to come up at Uppal and Miyapur depots.