The Hyderabad Metro rail project continues to face hurdles with about 1,400 property owners continuing to resist the acquisition of land, according to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

The Corporation has to acquire 1,400 more properties for the Rs 16,375 crore Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) project. It has already managed to acquire 2,000 properties across the three traffic corridors spanning 72 km. However, about 250 acres, out of the 270 acres of land assured for terminal points and other infrastructure, has already been acquired and handed over to L&T.

Addressing the South Zone Conference on Sustainable Solutions to tackle congestion for better liveable city, the Additional Commissioner (Planning), Mr K. Dhananjaya Reddy, said, “We have created more than 80 per cent right of way for the project. There are hurdles in some segments.”

The sub-theme of the meeting held on Saturday was ‘Public transport in urban areas with a special focus on the metro rail project,’ organised by the Institute of Town Planners, India.

The Corporation has widened most roads even before the concessionaire agreement was signed with L&T.

“We have taken it up as a challenge in co-ordination with other civic departments to complete the process,” he said.

The Corporation is making efforts to persuade property owners by allowing extra vertical space, a liberal compensation package, and rehabilitation of tenants affected by the acquisition of land.

The Managing Director of Hyderabad Metro N.V.S. Reddy, said travel by Metro rail would be cheapest mode when the project is commissioned within five years as the fares have been frozen.

The administration is faced with difficulties with revenue records which are not up-to-date. The acquisition of Government of India land like the railways, religious structures, translocation of trees and utilities, continue to pose a big challenge for town planners.

> rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in

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