The State government is determined to take up the next phase 26 km ₹8,453 crore metro between Lakidikapul and BHEL-Ramachandrapuram as well link terminal stations L.B.Nagar and Nagole of about 5 km whether the “Centre provides financial assistance or not,” asserted Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday.
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“Public transport like the metro rail is the only solution to tackle pollution in cities. We need to build Metro Rail along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) too. I am pleased to lay the foundation stone for the 31 km ₹6,250 crore Hyderabad Airport Metro which will provide connectivity from any part of the city to the airport in 26 minutes once complete. It is going to be a good project,” he said.
The Chief Minister was addressing a public meeting in the TS Police Academy grounds, Rajendranagar after laying the foundation stone for the Airport Metro project at the Mindspace junction/Raidurg in the presence of his Cabinet colleagues, top officials and other functionaries.
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“We will complete the Airport Metro work expeditiously as the traffic towards the international airport at Shamshabad has increased rapidly. Hyderabad Metro phase one is carrying 4.3 lakh passenger and another 70,000 passengers will add once this line is built,” he said.
Equity stake
Two cheques of ₹625 crore each by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and GMR Group (Project proponents of the Hyderabad International Airport) were handed over to him, by the officials concerned on the occasion, equivalent to 10% stake for each in the project funded entirely by the State government.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao congratulated the municipal, HMDA, Hyderabad Metro Rail Authorities (HMR) and the GMR Group on the occasion and advised Minister for Municipal Administration K. T. Rama Rao and others to see that the city’s infrastructure needs — roads, sewerage and drinking water — are met in tune with the burgeoning population.
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Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao addressing a public meeting in the TS Police Academy grounds, after laying the foundation stone for the Hyderabad Airport Metro Project in Hyderabad on Friday. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
Future ready
“We need to have a proper research team in place to plan for the future needs rather than just be happy about new skyscrapers, villas and gated communities coming up. The government is ready to provide any amount of money to develop civic infrastructure for the upkeep of the city which at one time was bigger than Delhi in size and population,” he said.
Hyderabad got electricity in 1912 itself whereas Chennai (then Madras) got only in 1927 and the TRS government had ensured it became a “power island” where it is connected with the State and national grids so that the twin cities will never have major power disruptions. “There may be power cuts in New York, London or Paris but not in Hyderabad,” he claimed.
Similarly, the days of protests at the Indira Park for drinking water supply by slum dwellers have gone after formation of Telangana with project to bring water from Krishna and Godavari rivers, “neglected in the unified State”, have been expeditiously completed.
“I am also appealing to the GHMC, HMDA and other organisations to take steps to improve greenery in light of the heating of earth,” said the Chief Minister. Stating that the capital has been home for multi-ethnic and multi-religious people living harmoniously across centuries, he called for such a culture to be preserved. Minister for Education P. Sabitha Indra Reddy and Rajendranagar MLA Prakash Goud were the two other speakers.