Hyderabad Metro Rail works Progressing Fast: NVS Reddy, Managing Director

Hyderabad Metro Rail works Progressing Fast: NVS Reddy, Managing Director

Hyderabad: Approximately 1,800 square meters of the Country Club of India and a Wakf Board property at Greenlands has been acquired by the Hyderabad Metro Rail to fill the gap which existed on this stretch.

Apprising the chief secretary Rajiv Sharma of the latest development, HMR MD N.V.S.Reddy clarified that all the bottlenecks and gaps will be cleared. Mr Reddy explained, “We have acquired the open land near the Country Club of India building. The land deals have been closed and will be handed over to L&T for construction works soon.”

Similarly, negotiations are also going on for the other gaps like Padma Hansa Apartments after ISKON temple at Secunderabad, front portions of residential homes and open areas outside homes on Road No. 5 Banjara Hills, 30 housing properties across Madhuranagar and Krishna Nagar in the Yusufguda stretch and furniture shops at Nampally. He assured the chief secretary that works were on in full swing.

Mr Sharma insisted that targets for completing utility shifting like sewage, water and electrical works must be carried out on time. He cautioned HMR not to delay works and also ensure that works of restoration of roads are carried out on a priority basis so that the users are not inconvenienced.

As part of rapid progress in Metro Rail realignments on the metro rail corridor-I (Miyapur-LB Nagar), it is expected that decades-old lake, a nursery and lawns on the Public Gardens premises may vanish. Also, hundreds of morning walkers may face inconvenience once the metro rail construction begins. Following the Telangana government’s directive to the Hyderabad Metro Rail to change the alignment in such a way that the Miyapur-LB Nagar corridor-I line passes from behind the Assembly instead of the front, preparations such as earmarking the right of way (RoW), pegging and soil testing on Public Gardens premises are in full swing.

The L&T-HMRL had already constructed pillars between Nampally and the Assembly en route Telugu University , but on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s instructions, the work was stopped last year.  As per the new alignment, RoW markings have been made in the commercial nursery (compound wall adja cent to the Nampally rail line), a lake, behind the Jubilee Hall, a kitchen, a temple, a building of general administration (protocol) department and police outpost (earlier bird enclosure).

As per the marking, nearly 15 pillars would be constructed between the nursery and lake on the Public Garden premises. Though there is no official communication from the HMRL to the horticulture department on the exact extent of Public Garden land it needs for the metro rail project, officials claim it could be around five acres.

“Without prior intimation, HMRL authorities started marking RoW for the metro rail on our premises. When the HMRL sent a letter to us seeking permission to allot Public Gardens land for metro rail four months ago, we made it clear that no permanent construction activity could be taken up in the water body or abutting it as per the Supreme Court directives. But they are going ahead without giving a reply,” assistant director, government gardens, department of horticulture, John Jawaharlal told.

The Public Garden is spread over 40 acres. On nearly 10-acre land, various structures, including offices of the horticulture department, Jubilee Hall, AP & Telangana Legislative Councils, GAD-Protocol (AP) property and museum are located. ” A nursery , spread over nearly three acres, may vanish due to the metro rail pillars,” he said.

A few structures, including a kitchen located behind the Jubilee Hall, a temple, a portion of the GAD protocol building, the police outpost and a portion of lake would get affected due to the nearly 1.5-km ROW . Besides, nearly 10 century-old trees and green lawns will be wiped out. “We fear threat to the heritage building, Jubilee Hall, during earth excavation works,” the official said.

Meanwhile, the Public Garden Walkers’ Association approached the Lokayukta in June and lodged a complaint against the HMRL for realigning the metro rail.