Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD) K.T. Rama Rao has affirmed the government’s commitment to take up the second phase of Metro Rail project even if the Central government continues to refuse cooperation.
He blamed the delay in taking up Phase-II works on pandemic-induced financial straits and non-cooperation from the Centre. Deliberations are on with the Centre for the 63 km works of Metro Rail line — 26 km between BHEL and Lakdi-ka-pul, five km between Nagole and LB Nagar, and 32 km from Mindspace to the international airport — and these will be taken up with or without the latter’s co-operation, Mr. Rama Rao asserted, after inaugurating the ₹466 crore flyover at Shilpa Layout in Gachibowli on Friday.
Speaking about the government’s initiatives to improve public transport, he said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has issued directions to the Finance department to release ₹200 crore towards expansion of MMTS lines.
The 2.81 km flyover at Shilpa Layout is the second longest in the city, and will give 50% relief to traffic at the Gachibowli junction. Together with the third level Kondapur flyover, scheduled for completion in nine to 10 months, it will reduce traffic issues by 75%.
One more flyover at Kothaguda will be completed by the end of December or January first week, he said, adding that 33 out of the 48 infrastructural components listed under SRDP have been completed so far.
In order to keep pace with the fast-expanding city, Phase-II works of SRDP are going to be taken up at a cost of ₹3,500 crore, he said. Citing praise for the city’s liveability by international reports, he said that the government has successfully improved drinking water, power supply, roads and law and order. Only underground drainage network is remaining, which will be taken up, he assured.
Four-lane bidirectional carriageway
The flyover at Shilpa Layout provides four-lane bidirectional carriageway, with four independent flyovers as ramps, two on each side. Two-lane up and down flyovers will serve as ramps to and from Outer Ring Road on one side and two more on the other side to and from Mindspace.
It is expected to offer traffic relief at Gachibowli junction, and provide better connectivity to Hyderabad Knowledge City, Hi-Tec City and Financial District, and direct connectivity to RGIA. With construction of this flyover, the object of connecting Punjagutta with ORR near Gachibowli is achieved, a statement from GHMC said.
