Hyderabad: Hyderabad has dropped a rank, from the second to third position over its operational network in the last 7 years. The ranking is likely to plunge to ninth if urgent action is not initiated. However, it could retain the third spot if the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project’s second phase is implemented swiftly.
On the occasion of seven years of Hyderabad Metro Rail’s roll-out celebrated on Tuesday, November 26, Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) MD NVS Reddy said that there was a cumulative ridership of 63.40 crore in Hyderabad Metro in the last 7 years.
While Delhi has ranked first with regard to its operational network of 415 km, Bengaluru stands second with a network of 74 km, and Hyderabad stands third with an operational network of 69 km.
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He said that Rs one lakh crore was being spent by Chennai and Mumbai to expand their metro rail network presently.
He said that under Metro Rail’s second phase, a 76.4 km metro line will be laid in five metro corridors with 54 stations, at a cost of Rs 24,269 crore.
In addition to the five corridors in the second phase, he said that the sixth corridor was also being planned for which the detailed project report was yet to be submitted. The sixth corridor will further extend the Hyderabad metro’s second phase network to 116.4 km.
The sixth corridor in the second phase extends from Hyderabad Airport in Shamshabad to Fourth City (Skill University) covering a distance of 40 km.
He said that there was a lot of demand coming for the establishment of a metro corridor to extend towards Medchal, which he said, was also on the cards.
The project is being taken up as a joint venture between the state and central governments on a 50:50 cost-sharing ratio.
He said that the preliminary works for the metro network in the Old City will begin in the first week of January 2025.
Noting that the land acquisition in the Old City was presently under full swing, he stated that out of around 1,100 properties, property sketches of around 800 properties have been sent to the Hyderabad district collector.
He said that once the second phase is completed, the metro rail network would be further expanded.
