Work on metro to begin soon

Hyderabad Metro Rail authorities today said the first two stretches —Nagole-Mettuguda and Miyapur-Ameerpet — of the proposed metro rail corridor would be handed over to L&T, the concessionaire of the Rs 14,000 crore project, in the next 15 days to start the construction work.

The authorities are also making plans to provide alternative roads and pedestrian ways on these routes so as to minimise inconvenience to traffic besides moving utility installations on the road, said N V S Reddy, managing director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited.

He said the joint inspection committee comprising heads of various utility services, including discom and water board, today conducted inspection to identify various measures at these locations.

Though 1,550 structures have been identified for the sake of land acquisition for widening of roads along the corridor and for alignment purposes, the government would issue notices only in a staggered manner and that too when the authorities have full clarity on the actual extent of building required to be razed, according to him.

L&T is expected to select a firm for the supply of metro rail coaches in September this year, he said, adding that the company was already in talks with 12 international firms for this purpose.