Hyderabad Metro Phase-2 to Prioritize 76km Stretch; Fourth City Corridor on Hold.

Hyderabad Metro Phase 2 will initially focus on 76.4 kilometers across five corridors, reducing the originally planned 116.4 kilometers, with the fourth city Metro connection of 40 kilometers placed on hold, officials confirmed. The revised Phase 2 is expected to serve around eight lakh passengers daily upon completion.

"We have strategically prioritized these five corridors, focusing on immediate urban mobility needs and technical feasibility, as per the government's recommendations," said NVS Reddy, Managing Director of Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML). "Detailed project reports for these corridors are finalized, and we are set to begin work by January 2025."

The project’s proposal, along with detailed reports, has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) for technical and financial review. Initial work will begin with the expansion of the 7.5-kilometer Old City corridor, from MBGS to Chandrayangutta. Preliminary land acquisition notifications for 500 plots have already been issued, with construction work expected to commence by the end of the year.

Phase 2 will feature the city’s first double-decker flyover, a 1.6-kilometer stretch combining Metro viaduct and flyover near Madinaguda. "We have requested the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to halt flyover construction temporarily to allow Metro work to proceed simultaneously," said Reddy. Additionally, Metro work will be done on the left service lane of nearly six flyovers being constructed by NHAI between LB Nagar and Hayathnagar.

The project timeline has been expedited using the "double U" girders, a modern construction technique that allows for faster building compared to the box girders used in Phase 1.

Challenges remain in the northern corridor, which currently doesn't meet the Union government's 90% right-of-way requirement, delaying the planned extension to Medchal.

On the financial front, Reddy noted a significant improvement in the project’s financing model. "Under the earlier Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, we faced a 10% interest rate, leading to an annual interest burden of ₹1,300 crore. Now, under the joint venture (JV) model, we have access to funding at a much lower 2% interest rate, with loans repayable over 40 years, providing more financial flexibility for quality service delivery," he said.

ET