Hyderabad Airport Metro and the pending metro line into the Old City from MGBS (Imlibun) to Falaknuma, the two major projects which the citizens of twin cities have been eagerly waiting, will have to wait for the new government to be formed in December to take off. This is following the Model Code of Conduct coming into force after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced schedule of Telangana Assembly Polls 2023. The elections will be held on November 30, 2023 and counting of votes will be taken up on December 3, 2023.
Considering that the foundation stone for the Airport Metro was laid in December last year by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, there were high expectations among the people that work on these two key public transport infrastructure projects will begin before the election dates are announced
Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML), the special purpose vehicle of the Government, had even completed the process of tendering, narrowing it down to L&T and NCC firms. One among them was to be chosen as the EPC – Engineering, Procurement and Construction contractor for the 31 km ₹6,250 crore work after bids were opened in mid-July.
Airport Metro starting from the Mindspace junction, where the proposed new Raidurg station is to be built, will have a predominantly overhead viaduct with small portions on ground and another portion underground as it reaches the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) passenger terminal at Shamshabad.
At around the same time in July, the pending 5.5 km Old City line too was revived after surmounting the “political obstacles”. Final alignment drawings of the stretch was nearing completion for land acquisition notices to be send to the affected 1,000 property owners though there was no clarity on funding – L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH) or the Government, for the work.
There was also a buzz to give a grand start for the works for both projects - at Falaknuma proposed depot land and another at Raidurg. And, just when everyone expected the Cabinet to clear the works, there was an unusual lull. Soon the pre-election fever took over and with the poll notification, there will be an impasse till next year.
“With Chief Minister being indisposed, several key decisions were held up. And, unless the State Cabinet clears the projects and an official government order is issued, these works cannot be executed on the ground.,” informed top officials, pleading anonymity. Thus, the wait for the next phase of metro rail has just got longer.
