Work on the ₹14,132-crore Hyderabad metro rail project has gathered pace with the Telangana government keen on commissioning one of the longest networks, a stretch of 30 km, at one go during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Hyderabad in November.

While couple of stretches of 8 km and another one of 11 km are ready for commissioning and had secured various approvals, including rail safety, the State Government has decided to launch the project connecting two completed stretches across two lines running to a total distance of 30 km.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has requested Prime Minister to launch the project when he visits Hyderabad to take part in a Global Entrepreneurship Summit to be held here in November.

The concessionaire, construction major L&T, has been implementing the project, a 72-km long elevated metro corridor, connecting three dense stretches, under the public private partnership mode.

While the project was to be completed by July 2017, it faced several hurdles, including land acquisition in some segments and right of way in certain places. L&T has been given one year extension to complete the project.

Some of the crucial and complex rail over bridge links, interconnect stations, and smaller links are now being executed.

NVS Reddy, Managing Director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd, said, “With the Chief Minister directing completion of the 13-km stretch between Miyapur and Ameerpet on Corridor I and Nagole to Ameerpet, a stretch of 17-km on Corridor III by November, the focus is on these stretches.”

Sources executing the project, requesting anonymity, stated that it is a race against time as the deadline is stiff given the critical links on railway lines, and some interconnect stations are in the process of being completed. Two such installations are now under execution at the Secunderabad junction, where a massive rail overbridge is being installed and another at an interconnect where two rail lines meet at Ameerpet.

L&T has also simultaneously taken up transit oriented development at several locations. These are at advanced stage of completion.

To ensure the project gets ready for commissioning by November 2017, KT Rama Rao, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister, is monitoring the progress.The PMO team that tracks mege projects in the country is also keeping an eye.

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