Hyderabad: Metro hits heritage block

Hyderabad: Not only the original alignment of Metro Rail that was supposed to pass in front of the Assembly, even the re-alignment, which is to take a turn near the DGP’s office to join at Haj House opposite Public Gardens via Jubilee Hall buildings, has hit a roadblock with engineering experts saying that it cannot be done without taking up major repairs to the century-old Jubilee Hall structure.

It is not clear when the repairs will be taken up for the heritage structure for it to be able to withstand the vibrations due to the Metro Rail operations. In fact, it is not clear whether the re-alignment will take place at all as the state government is yet to give a green signal to the proposals submitted by L&T.

Hyderabad Metro Rail managing director N.V.S. Reddy refused to comment when asked about the re-alignment proposal near Jubilee Hall.

Three months ago, the Jubilee Hall buildings – built in 1913 – that houses the Telangana and AP Legislative Councils, had suffered damages when pieces from the roof of the chambers of Telan-gana Council chairman and Chief Minister had broken off. There was also a major fire mishap three years ago, soon after then Presidential candidate Mr Pranab Mukherjee had left the place. The fire had also apparently damaged the roof. When L&T surveyors started making markings near the Jubilee Hall as part of the re-alignment proposal, a meeting was convened by Assembly Speaker Madhusudana Chary and Council chairman Swamy Gowd with the Metro Rail authorities wherein they expressed apprehensions about the safety and stability of Jubilee Hall to withstand the vibrations of the Metro Rail.

They had also told the Metro Rail authorities that Jubilee Hall had already been subjected to such vibrations due to trains going towards the Nampally Railway Station. It was decided in the meeting that the services of Central Road Research Institute experts would be taken and based on their reports, the realignment would proceed.

According to sources, the experts, after inspection, had conveyed to the authorities that it might not be a good idea to proceed unless some major repairs were done to the heritage structure. They said that the deep foundations for Metro pillars may cause damage to the foundations of the Jubilee Hall.

In fact Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has often made his stand clear that the Metro Rail track should not be laid in front of the Assembly building fearing that it will not be able to withstand the vibrations and also that it will mar the beauty of the structure due to the elevated Metro. But now the same objections have cropped up for the re-alignment proposal from behind the Jubilee Hall too.