GMR to invest Rs 500 cr in metro rail link project to Hyderabad Airport

The GMR group will be investing over Rs 500 crore in a Rs 5000 crore metro rail link project being proposed by the Telangana government for connectivity to the aerodrome from various parts of the city

The GMR group which is operating Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here will be investing over Rs 500 crore in a Rs 5000 crore metro rail link project being proposed by the Telangana government for connectivity to the aerodrome from various parts of the city.

According to a consultation paper on the tariff revision for the third control period (April 2021 to March 2026) proposed by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, issued by Airports Economic Regulatory Authority the aerodrome operator will be investing Rs 519.52 by 2024. The envisaged project cost of metro line would be around Rs. 5000 crore of which HIAL's contribution would be in the range of Rs. 500 Crores (10 per cent of the project cost) which is equivalent to the estimated cost of metro connectivity within the airport precinct, the consultation paper said. The Telangana government has conveyed its approval for extension of metro rail link to RGIA from various parts of the city under phase II of Hyderabad Metro project.

The state government has already formed a Special Purpose Vehicle- Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML) which would be responsible for development, construction, operations and management of the Airport Metro link, it said.

The planned Airport Metro Link is expected to span about 31km in total. The plan envisages development of an alignment of eight km along with setting up of three metro stations within the premises of RGIA, the paper said. HIAL had requested the Ministry of Civil Aviation to consider the aforesaid capital contribution as aeronautical asset and include the same in the determination of the RAB (Regulatory Asset base) for determination of aeronautical charges, it said.