Hyderabad: With trial runs and testing going on satisfactorily, L&T Metro Rail is keen to start operations on the Miyapur-SR Nagar stretch as it is commercially viable and will give people a feel of travelling on a new mode of transport.
Sources pointed out that permissions had been given to the metro rail in Bengaluru and Chennai to start operations on the completed stages but not in Hyderabad.
A senior officer said the 8-km Nagole-Mettuguda stretch was completed 18 months ago and railway clearance secured, but was not opened to the public. “The problems of lack of parking, last mile connectivity and commercial viability had been raised,” the officer told this newspaper.
Not quite complete
The Miyapur-SR Nagar stretch will be completed in three months and Metro Rail will apply for railway clearance subsequently. Facilities for parking, connecting to MMTS and RTC stations and bike stations can be created, he said.
A state government officer said the problem lay in the planning of the stations.
“Most of them are on the middle of the road. Once a commuter gets down, it is important to ensure their safety and provide onward connectivity. These are some of the missing links due to which there is so much delay.”
