Hyderabad Metro to start services on Ameerpet-L B Nagar route today

The Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety has issued the safety certificate for passenger train operations on this stretch after testing and commissioning.

Hyderabad Metro Rail is all set to start services on a 16-km stretch between Ameerpet to LB Nagar Monday, making the entire Corridor 1 phase operational. (PTI)

Hyderabad Metro Rail is all set to start services on a 16-km stretch between Ameerpet to LB Nagar Monday, making the entire Corridor 1 phase operational. The Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety has issued the safety certificate for passenger train operations on this stretch after testing and commissioning. The Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana E S L Narasimhan will flag off the Metro train at Ameerpet station at 12 noon. "This is a 16 km stretch with 16 stations. With this, the entire 29 km of Corridor-I from Miyapur to LB Nagar will be operational," Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) Managing Director N V S Reddy told PTI. In November 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the 30 km Miyapur-Nagole stretch out of the 72 km long elevated Hyderabad Metro Rail project,the world's largest public-private partnership project in the sector. There are 24 stations in the operational 30 km line. "With its operation on Ameerpet to L B Nagar route, the Metro will be 46 km, the second largest in the country, next only to Delhi," Reddy said. The 10 km Ameerpet-Hi-Tec city line will be open from December (this year) while services between Jubilee Bus Station and MGBS (10 km) will be launched mid 2019, Reddy said. The concessionaire L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited is building the project across three corridors. HMRL is developing a heritage precinct along with continuous and wide footpaths for seamless pedestrian movement on a five km stretch between Police Control Room and Rangamahal Junction, covering five stations of Assembly, Nampally, Gandhi Bhavan, OMC and MGBS in Corridor-I. L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) has already installed CCTVs at all stations and in trains with 360 degree coverage, baggage scanners, door frame metal detectors and hand held metal Detectors. Hyderabad Metro is recording footfall of around 85,000 passengers per day (in the 30 km stretch of Miyapur-Nago). On September 4, L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) had announced that patronage of Hyderabad Metro Rail touched 20 million (passengers) since launch of the services in November 2017. On May 7, a special coach exclusively for women was introduced in Hyderabad Metro trains. A Metro security wing with over 2,000 personnel for the 72-km elevated HMRL project is being built up as a well organised unit, which includes armed components like Quick Response Team (QRT), Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), Dog Squad, etc, officials had earlier said. Skywalks are being built connecting stations directly to commercial complexes, stadiums and offices, they said, adding several steps have been taken up in making Hyderabad Metro rail disabled-friendly and ensure comfortable travel for them. Towards last mile connectivity, cab services and electric vehicles for daily metro commuters have also been launched. HMRL is the first 'transit oriented development' project that will exploit real estate and earn revenue by leasing out commercial and office spaces inside and outside metro stations across the city, officials had said. The project has been planned with two components:stations along the elevated metro rail system and TOD branded 'Hyderabad Next'. Officials had said that 18.5 million sq ft assets would be developed in a phased manner in sync with the market requirement over the next few years.