The Hyderabad Airport Metro Rail will have bullet train like features for better aerodynamics with air-conditioned seating facility and platforms will have half-body length screen doors to open only when the three-coach train arrives and its doors open, informed Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy on Thursday.
“We have simulated the conditions and have calculated that it will take 26 minutes to reach Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) with 120 kmph maximum speed in Shamshabad from Mindspace Junction/Raidurg where there will be a check-in facility. Trains with 8 to 20 minutes’ frequency will display flight information details just like in the airport,” he told a press conference at the Hyderabad Metro Rail office on the eve of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao laying foundation for the ₹ 6,250 crore project extending to 31 km.
The ‘Right of Way’ for the Airport Metro has been secured – 27.5 km elevated, 1 km on ground and 2.5 km underground, and since there is little land acquisition to be done, “we are very confident of building the project within three years having the advantage of successfully overseen the first phase of the metro rail construction where we had to tackle court cases and acquire 3,000 properties,” he asserted.
Hailing the decision to take up Airport Metro as a “bold” one, the MD said the entire project to be funded by the government was being planned in tune with the vision of the Chief Minister to transform Hyderabad into a global city.
“The Airport Metro is not just for people going to the airport as it will provide connectivity for areas en route. We envisage reverse metro travel for people opting to live in the suburbs as Hi-Tech City can be reached with 15-20 minutes,” he explained.
Airport Metro will be built on the same height as existing one with the first station to come up 0.9 km from the Raidurg terminal station as a new ‘Raidurg Airport Metro station’. Next station will be at Biodiversity Junction and then it will climb over the two existing flyovers, move beside Roda Mistry College and right side of Khajaguda Lake, take a right at Nanakramguda junction.
It will be travelling on left of Outer Ring Road (ORR), move on the centre covering Narsingi and cross the National Highway towards Bengaluru before entering the airport, slowing descend to the ground, move for about a kilometre on the ground before reaching the terminal with an underground station.
“We have not finalised precise locations of the stations but we are planning two underground stations – one for cargo and another for passenger terminal. We are having discussions with the GMR group on their expansion plans so that passengers can directly access to the waiting halls through lifts and escalators from the station,” explained Mr. Reddy.
General consultant will be selected soon and work on preparing the tender documents have also begun simultaneously, he said, without indicating any timeframe.
The MD disclosed that the State government had sent project reports for the Airport Metro and also of phase two 26-km, ₹8,453-crore project planned between Lakdikapul and BHEL and 5 km to connect L.B. Nagar and Nagole to the Centre. “We will wait for the Centre’s decision and based on that, the State government will take a decision,” he said.
