TG HC seeks alignment details of Metro Rail phase-II works
The Telangana High Court Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Ghouse Meera Mohiuddin on Thursday directed the Commissioner of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), the Hyderabad Heritage Conservation Committee, and the Managing Director of Hyderabad Airport Metro Ltd. to furnish a detailed graph or drawing indicating structures likely to be affected by the Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II, Corridor-VI alignment.
The Bench observed that the information would help the Court ascertain which heritage structures lie overhead or within close proximity of the proposed metro route, in order to understand the issue comprehensively. The matter has been adjourned to December 18, 2025, for further hearing.
The directive came during the hearing of W.P. (PIL) No. 10 of 2025, filed by the NGO Act Public Welfare Foundation (APWF), represented by its president Mohammed Rahim Khan of Erramanzil, Hyderabad. The petitioner has sought directions to the HMDA and the Hyderabad Heritage Conservation Committee to halt all construction and related works of Metro Rail Phase-II, Corridor-VI within the Charminar Heritage Precinct No.10, Falaknuma Precinct No.12, and other notified heritage zones, until a comprehensive Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) is undertaken by an independent expert body and necessary statutory approvals are obtained as per the Telangana Heritage Act, 2017, and the AMASR Act, 1958.
The petitioner contended that the ongoing Metro Rail works could adversely affect iconic heritage structures including Charminar, Purani Haveli, Azakhana-e-Zehra, Jama Masjid, Darulshifa, and Moghalpura Tombs.
He further informed the Court that information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) revealed that no permission had been granted to HMDA or Hyderabad Metro Rail authorities to excavate or carry out related works within these heritage zones.
It may be recalled that on April 17, 2025, the Commissioner of HMDA, the Hyderabad Heritage Conservation Committee, and the MD of Hyderabad Airport Metro Ltd. had given an undertaking before the Chief Justice’s Bench assuring that no declared archaeological structure would be touched or demolished during the course of the Metro Rail Phase-II construction.
The Court has now sought visual documentation from HMDA and related authorities to verify compliance with these assurances and to assess the potential heritage impact of the ongoing metro alignment works. Hearing adjourned to December 18, 2025.
