Hyderabad: Thousands of commuters and about 2,500 traders want the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) to finish at the earliest its works along Darulshifa, Mir Alam Mandi, Alijah Kotla, Moghalpura, Shalibanda, Aliabagh, Shamsheer-gunj, Engine Bowli and Faluknama.
Prior to the construction of pillars, the authorities will map and shift utilities and widen the road. Any delay would result in severe traffic snarls and could disconnect the Old City from the new city on this corridor.
According to highly placed sources in Hyderabad Metro Rail, the proposed 5-km old city stretch will run from the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station to Falaknuma, past the area behind the Salarjung Museum, near Charminar, Shalibanda, and Shamsheergunj.This route is now the most important one for the Old City as another main stretch has been closed for the Charminar Pedes-trianisation Project (CPP).
Once it begins, the Metro Rail work has to run briskly. Apart from the constant traffic rush, along the route are shops selling grains, cloths, footwear, groceries, crockery and dry fruits, besides the push-cart vendors who have been there for decades. Sources said the Metro Rail authorities have marked road-widening margins. They said if the road widening for the stretch is not taken up at one go, it could create several bottlenecks. With no alternative route to connect to the core city, commuters will suffer heavy traffic snarls.
The Metro Rail authorities had assured completion of the project in five years. Seven years later, operations are yet to commence on the JBS-MGBS stretch, as is the construction of a 600-metre portion of the Ameerpet-Hitec City stretch.
A senior HMRL official, on condition of anonymity, said the Metro Rail authorities have convinced the traders to agree for road-widening and that an action plan will be prepared, which will be announced after the Lok Sabha polls.
He said that the HMRL will not begin its work till the road is widened. A special officer with a sufficient budget will be appointed to take up road-widening, utility mapping, and shifting. He said that unlike in other stretches, a stipulated timeframe will be fixed to complete the project in the Old City and that the details will be announced soon.
When asked about the traffic snarls, the official said, “The HMRL has been conducting review meetings with the traffic police regularly. The construction work will not affect the livelihood of the traders along the stretch.” He added that Metro services will commence on the JBS-MGBS stretch in November.
