Pre-fab steel bridge for Metro Rail ready.

With pre-fabricated steel bridge getting ready at a Noida factory near Delhi, the stage is set for taking up construction of the Rail Over Bridge (ROB) by the metro rail authorities to cross over the Oliphanta Bridge near the Secunderabad Railway station.

Components of the bridge are being brought to the city before they are put in place in parts to cross over the railway tracks leading to and out of the station at a double elevation level to allow for double-decker trains. The viaduct will be 42 ft high from the railway line on the bridge and 58 ft high from the ground.

The steel bridge will also have three spans of 82 ft, 272 ft and 13 ft for the crossover, according to Hyderabad Metro Rail MD N.V.S. Reddy on Monday. He accompanied by senior L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH) officials, including Project Director M.P. Naidu and others inspected the site, checked on the drawings and discussed the safety arrangements before the bridge erection starts.

It was decided to seek South Central Railway (SCR) permission for taking a one acre vacant railway land at Chilkalguda where the pre-fab steel material could be stored and works could be started fast. The Secunderabad (East) overhead station will be coming up near Hotel Ramakrishna near the Oliphanta Bridge for Corridor Three – Nagole to Shilparamam-Raidurg, while the West side station will be coming up on the Bhoiguda side towards Old Gandhi Hospital site for Corridor Two – JBS to Falaknuma.

Landing points for the East station will be in between the railway reservation complex and Rathifile bus depot for the convenience of the passengers of the railway station and the TSRTC bus depot. The landings could be connected with a skywalk with provision for an escalator, elevator and staircase facilities for commuters to move about freely.

Entry and exit points were also finalised for Paradise, Rasoolpura and Prakashnagar metro rail stations along with space earmarked for parking.

The MD advised the L&T MRH engineers to minimise barricade space and complete ground work fast for better traffic management. At Begumpet where another RoB is getting into shape, the Postal Department authorities were urged to space a part of the open space in front of the post office for a metro pier/pillar and viaduct structure.


THE HINDU