Hyderabad Metro's ridership can be doubled: KT Rama Rao

Hyderabad, Aug (IANS) Telangana's minister for municipal administration and urban development, KT Rama Rao has said that that by introducing more coaches, improving feeder services, and developing better footpaths, Hyderabad Metro's current ridership of 5 lakh per day can be doubled. 

He held a review meeting on the Airport Metro and other Metro expansion projects on Thursday. It was attended by Chief Secretary A. Santi Kumari and other senior officers. 

Broadly explaining the vision of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to make Hyderabad a global city with world class infrastructure facilities, KTR emphasised on the importance of public transportation in reducing congestion and pollution and turning the city into a globally competitive city to attract huge investments and talent. 

He stated that by introducing more In response to a detailed power point presentation made by Metro Rail MD NVS Reddy, the minister instructed the departments and organisations concerned to hand over the identified government properties to Hyderabad Airport Metro Ltd immediately to start the construction activity. 

He also directed the GMR Airport authorities to hand over 48 acres of land in the airport area for construction of Metro Rail depot. 

He requested CS to hold periodical coordination meetings and facilitate expeditious execution of the Airport Metro project; and also pursue with the senior officers concerned in Government of India for approval of the Rs 9,100 crore BHEL-Lakdikapul & Nagole-LB Nagar (36 km) project as a joint venture project of state and the central governments. 

The minister has also directed the MD to start surveys of all the new metro corridors recently approved by the Cabinet and get Preliminary Project Reports/ Detailed Project Reports ready in the next few months for sending them to the Centre. 

He advised Special Chief Secretary Finance K. Ramakrishna Rao and MA&UD Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar to explore different funding options for the new metro projects. 

He has also instructed the collectors of Hyderabad, Medchal and Sangareddy districts to identify vacant government land parcels nearer to the existing and proposed metro stations for developing multi level car parking complexes. 

In a separate meeting held with AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, KTR directed the Metro Rail MD to expedite land acquisition process in the old city metro corridor and start construction there; and also plan for further extension of the line to the airport from Falaknuma.