Hyderabad: Escalators at Metro Rail’s Prakashnagar and Begumpet stations stopped suddenly on Monday, leading to rumours that they had been switched off due to poor footfall. The staff was seen asking people to take the stairs or the lifts.
Asked about it, a senior L&T officer said maintenance work was being carried out on the escalator but it proceeded slowly due to shortage of staff. “A few passengers must have faced inconvenience,” he said
The number of commuters has fallen to between 50,000 and 80,000 per day, and joy-riders are not seen even on weekends.
Hyderabad Metro Rail managing director N.V.S. Reddy said, “We are happy with the numbers. These are our real customers.”
He said the staff was concentrating on connecting HiTec City by June. Besides, Phase I has to be completed by November.
A senior L&T senior officer said staff had been shifted to the stretches leading to HiTec City and LB Nagar.
Once this is complete, they will be shifted to the JBS and MGBS stretches where viaducts are being installed on the track, while electrification remains to be done.
