Hyderabad: On the instructions of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, a senior officers’ team of Telangana led by Chief Secretary S.P.Singh inspected the Metro rail stretch from Nagole to Begumpet (16 km) to identify the gaps, the required street level works at Metro stations, feeder services, passenger security arrangements etc., so as to commission it by the middle of this year.
Appreciating the foot-path improvement done by HMRL at Gymkhana and Parade Grounds and the service roads, street furniture, greenery and other beautification works done by it at Uppal and Nagole stations,
the Chief Secretary directed HMRL MD NVS Reddy to replicate such facilities at all the Metro stations in both Nagole-Begumpet stretch and Miyapur-SR Nagar stretch (11 km) so that these two Metro stretches can be opened for passengers with full-fledged facilities.
HMRL MD and MA&UD Secretary Navin Mittal have informed the CS that Municipal Administration Minister K. Tarakarama Rao, who was recently shown a preliminary plan of the street level works being taken up by HMRL, has also instructed in a similar manner that the Metro Rail stretches cleared by the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) will have to be provided with world class facilities including street rejuvenation,
feeder bus services, electric vehicles and bicycle stations so that the problem of traffic congestion and pollution can be comprehensively addressed in the Metro corridors.
They have also informed the CS about KTR’s emphasis on construction of skywalks from Metro Rail stations to minimize congestion, improve safety of pedestrians crossing the roads and to lend a unique character to Hyderabad city.
Later participating in a brain storming session at the Operation Control Center (OCC) in Uppal Metro Rail depot,
Hyderabad Police Commissioner M. Mahender Reddy requested all the participants and L&T engineers to give ideas/suggestions for incorporation in the Command & Control Centre that is being built by the Police department at Banjara Hills and for integration of the Metro OCC with it.
The Chief Secretary has advised the Police Commissioner and the Addl. Commissioner of Police Jitender to give their inputs regarding passenger security and traffic improvement measures that are being planned by HMRL at the Metro stations.
The Chief Secretary has also advised HMRL MD NVS Reddy and L&TMRHL MD Shivanand Nimbargi to share their plans with R&B, National Highways, GHMC and other organizations so that the facilities at Metro stations can be developed in an integrated manner for the convenience of Metro passengers and citizens.
He has also directed Collectors Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medchal to expedite acquisition of the remaining affected properties for closing the gaps and commissioning most of the Metro Rail stretches by the end of this year.
CS has further requested Principal Finance Secretary K. Rama Krishna Rao to give adequate financial support to HMRL which is creating world class facilities and reshaping the city.
S.P. Singh has also complimented L&TMRHL for bringing in latest Metro Rail technologies to this country and creating state of the art facilities and urged them to complete the project at an early date as desired by the Chief Minister.
TR&B Principal Secretary Sunil Sharma; Finance Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania; GHMC Commissioner Dr. B. Janardhan Reddy; Hyderabad Collector Rahul Bojja; Ranga Reddy Collector M. Raghunandan Rao; HMRL Chief Engineer Md. Ziauddin and other senior officers of various government organisations and L&TMRHL participated in the inspection and discussions. (INN)