Sultan Bazaar, Hyderabad Metro Rail strike special package deal

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metro Rail and a section of traders based at Sultan Bazaar arrived at an agreement on a special package on Friday. While Mr Govind Rathi and Mr V. Kishan Yadav among others participated in talks on behalf of the Sultan Bazaar traders joint action committee, another group led Mr C. Madhusudhan Rao, general secretary of the Sultan Bazaar Traders Association, was not part of the meeting.

HMR MD N.V.S Reddy said HMR would meet this group separately. “As and when people come, we will discuss and settle the issue amicably,” he said. Friday’s meeting was with the majority group of traders including owners, tenants and hawkers.

The main feature of the package is the minimal road widening for Metro Rail. The widening will be restricted to 80 feet between Kachiguda crossroads and Bata junction on the Badi Chowdi stretch; 65 feet between Bata junction and Andhra Bank junction on the Sultan Bazaar stretch; and 80 feet from Andhra Bank to Putlibowli Jn on Koti stretch.

No religious or other sensitive structures will be affected. Mr Reddy said the Sultan Bazaar stretch of about 250 m would be developed as a hawkers’ paradise with being designed below the Metro viaduct including 6.6’ x 3.3’ feet platforms with storage facility. A 5-feet space next to the hawker facility will be paved with cobblestone.