Hyd’bad Metro expansion begins in Old City

Hyderabad: The long-awaited expansion of the Hyderabad Metro to the Old City has begun with road widening works. The project began with the demolition of buildings on the road between Alijah Kotla – Moghalpura – Diara Mir Momin for the extension of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMRL) for 7.5 km stretch in Old city.

The Corridor will run from Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) to Falaknuma, with plans to extend it to Chandrayangutta. The extension will cover 7.5 km and include six stations. The demolition of structures was started by those who were compensated as a part of land acquisition. The demolition works were taken up near Safina Hotel in Alijah Kotla, Victoria Hotel to Volta Road in Moghalpura.

Earlier this month, as many as 41 owners of 34 affected properties on the route were paid Rs 20 crore compensation. According to HMRL, a compensation of about Rs 1,000 crore will be paid for a total of 1,100 properties along the 7.5 km route. The requisitions for 900 properties have already been submitted to the District Collector under the Land Acquisition Act, and the Collector has issued preliminary notifications for 800 properties in phases.

Compensation for property owners in the Old City area was set at Rs 65,000 per square yard. Apart from the compensation for the lost property, the evictees will be given a structural value along with the resettlement and rehabilitation benefits to the evictees.

As there are over 103 religious structures in the route including 21 mosques, 12 temples, 12 Ashoorkhanas, 33 dargahs, seven graveyards, six chillas and other sensitive structures. Officials informed, “All religious, heritage, and other sensitive structures are being protected through innovative engineering solutions and careful adjustment of pillars and stations. No heritage or sensitive structures will be demolished or touched, as we are not widening the road near such structures.”

According to HAML, roads are being widened to 100 ft as per the GHMC Master Plan. However, at metro station locations, the roads are being widened to 120 ft. The current width of the road varies from 50 ft to 60 ft from Darulshifa Junction to Shalibanda Junction, while it is 80 ft from Shalibanda Junction to Chandrayangutta.

Thus, the affected portion of each property in the majority of cases will be about 20–25 ft from Darulshifa to Shalibanda and about 10 ft from Shalibanda to Chandrayangutta.

The affected area may increase at station locations and in sections with sharp curves, said officials.