The Rs 16,200-crore Hyderabad metro rail project has earmarked Rs 2,000 crore for relief and rehabilitation compensation, land acquisition and related support infrastructure.
Being implemented by concessionaire Larsen & Toubro, this public-private partnership project (PPP) has now reached a crucial phase with the land allocation completed for 243 acres of 269 acres promised.
Talking reporters through a tour of metro rail sites and the terminal point at Miyapur about 25 km from city centre, Mr N.V.S. Reddy, Managing Director of Hyderabad metro rail, said the focus has been to provide proper relief and rehabilitation to those displaced.
For people who lose land, Rs 45,000 per sq yard is being provided and tenants and hawkers displaced would be relocated in a complex developed at busy business area of Sultan Bazaar.
He said that the project works are now underway and the first phase of 8 km and 11 km of the 72 km project will be ready by 2014. All the three corridors would be completed by 2015.
IIT Delhi
Mr Reddy said that pedestrian related concerns are top on the agenda of the Government and developers. The focus is on helping them have free access to footpaths without having to face hardships due to vehicular traffic.
“We have enlisted the services of IIT-Delhi to prepare a master plan for pedestrian facilities along the metro stations. It is proposed to develop necessary infrastructure to help easy movement of people, providing for pedestrian bridges and sky walks,” he said.
Referring to the issue raised by the High Court about this project being considered under Tramways Act instead of Railways Act, Mr. Reddy said that this was taken up after clearance by Group of Ministers headed by the Union Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar.
“We will resolve all issues, including in the courts at the earliest,” he said.