We are a long way off to even think of public transportation in twin cities in the current lockdown period and no one is sure whether it will be possible to run Metro rail, the suburban train services or even buses after May 3.
In the meantime, Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) and L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH) authorities are striving to keep the systems working ever since the total shutdown happened last month.
Metro Rail authorities have sourced special permissions from the government to conduct special checks at metro rail depots of Miyapur and Nagole on the rolling stock with few standard runs too being conducted.
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The entire overhead electric traction across the three corridors — Red: L.B. Nagar to Miyapur or Corridor 1, Blue: Nagole to Raidurg or Corridor 3 and Jubilee Bus Station to Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) or Corridor 2 is being periodically checked with the help of the electric maintenance vehicle moving up and down.
“But, the signalling network has not been switched off as it is a very sophisticated one, and we cannot simply switch it off and on. Senior engineers of L&TMRH are keeping the operations and command centre alive with skeletal staff. We are working in such a manner that whenever the permissions come from the government to start commercial operations, we should be able to do so at 24 hours’ notice,” informed HMR Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy on Thursday.
If that takes care of the overhead infrastructure, down below HMR is ensuring that the stations premises and the street works including footpaths, furniture and others, completed in the Red and Blue lines is maintained with regular cleaning and sanitising.
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“This period has also given us time to complete pending street-level works on the 10 km Green Line. Regular watering and pruning of plants is being taken up. We are keeping the central medians under our control also clean by issuing passes to the workers and taking all the precautions in about 56 km,” the Managing Director added.