Kishan Reddy urges Telangana govt to expedite Metro Phase-I takeover
Hyderabad: Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has written to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, urging the state government to expedite the takeover of Phase-I of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project from Larsen & Toubro (L&T). The move, he emphasised, is a prerequisite for initiating Phase-II of the Metro expansion, which has already received in-principle approval from the Government of India. Kishan Reddy, in his letter on Friday coinciding with the Sankratni festival, shared details of his meeting with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar. During the discussions, Khattar reiterated that the Central government supports Hyderabad Metro’s Phase-II expansion but emphasised that the takeover of Phase-I must be completed first. This includes finalising agreements, decisions, and financial transactions between the Government of Telangana and L&T.
According to Kishan Reddy, it was mutually agreed during earlier interactions that a Joint Committee would be formed to oversee both the takeover process and preparatory work for Phase-II. The committee is to comprise two officials from the Government of India and two from the Government of Telangana. However, the Union Minister noted that the MoHUA has not yet received the names of Telangana’s nominees, delaying the committee’s formation and subsequent coordination.
“The Government of India has already agreed in principle to Phase-II. But unless Phase-I is formally taken over by the state, the expansion cannot move forward,” Kishan Reddy wrote, urging the Telangana government to nominate its officials at the earliest. He further requested that the takeover process from L&T be expedited so that proposals for Phase-II can be formally submitted to the Centre.
The Hyderabad Metro Rail Project, one of the largest urban transport initiatives in the country, has been instrumental in easing traffic congestion in the city. Phase-I, developed and operated by L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited, covers approximately 69 kilometres across three corridors. The proposed Phase-II aims to extend connectivity to newer areas, addressing the growing demands of the city’s expanding population and rapid urbanisation.
