While the suspense continues about the probable alignment changes on the Metro Rail corridors, a significant breakthrough has been achieved in providing the right of way at a key site. The ISKCON temple authorities have agreed to allow the overhead viaduct across their property without affecting their two main structures.
Senior Metro Rail officials, declining to be identified, indicated that a broad agreement was reached with the temple authorities to permit construction in 18 metre wide corridor inside, on crossing Sangeet crossroads junction. A sum of close to six crore rupees is to be paid as compensation for acquiring 6,000 sq.yards of the land.
It comes as a shot in the arm for the beleaguered Metro Rail officials as the issue was hanging fire over the last couple of years and had become a major bottleneck on corridor three – Nagole – Shilparamam - Raidurg route. Apparently, patient negotiations with the property owners concerned and the Government’s support has ensured some recalcitrant cases to come around.
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Senior officials are now quietly confident of acquiring parts of a prominent club in Begumpet too.
“Over the years we have managed to take over more than 1,000 properties along with old Gandhi Hospital land and defence properties through persuasion and attractive compensation package,” they point out.
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Still about 500 properties including 281 key ones have to be acquired. Some of these also come under Urban Land Ceiling Act and Government Vested Municipal (GVMs) properties – listed as Government lands on official records. Thus far, 156 GVMs have been acquired while 100 more are left.
Significant number of remaining GVMs are on the Greenlands-Jubilee Hills route (4.5 km), also on corridor three. Only a few piers or pillars of viaduct of 117 planned have come up on this stretch due to a court case by the affected persons. The HC has already heard both parties and final judgement is awaited.