Metro Rail chugging on right track - TeluguPeople.com News

HYDERABAD: Almost 25 months into the commencement of the construction of the largest Metro Rail project in the public-private partnership, the Hyderabad Metro Rail project seems to be fast turning into a reality.

The Nagole station, abutting the Uppal depot, is nearing completion, tracks have been laid for the entire phase I stretch, seven trains have arrived from South Korea, electrification works have been taken up and stations on the Nagole-Mettuguda stretch are coming up at a brisk pace.

Briefing mediapersons during a walk-through at the Nagole station, officials elaborated on the progress of the works to provide a 'physical feel of the structure, technique and technology used in the project'.

Each of the 66 stations has been designed in two levels -- platform and concourse -- with the need for minimum power supply. As many as four staircases, two elevators and four escalators will help passengers reach the concourse area.

The concourse area, which has been divided into a paid and non-paid area, will house shops, ATMs and passengers will be allowed further only if they possess a valid ticket.

Managing director of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) NVS Reddy said 'A project which was earlier dismissed as a non-starter, is close to becoming a reality.'

Speaking about value-addition at the stations, Reddy said each station will have water sumps with a storage capacity of 1.3 lakh litres of which one lakh litres will be put aside for safety purposes. 'In case of a fire accident anywhere near the station, fire brigades can utilise this water,' the managing director added.

Chief executive officer and managing director of L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (LTHMRL) VB Gadgil said his organisation was leaving no stone unturned to ensure no errors in the execution of the the project which, according to him, is going through a complicated stage presently.

'We are working in full swing and are not afraid of challenges. We are trained to take them head on,' Gadgil said pointing out at various 'roadblocks' in the project. The first phase of the project is likely to be operational by March 2015.

While the stations will be eco-friendly buildings, each coach of the train will be air-conditioned with a seating capacity of 330 passengers. Though the trains can reach a maximum speed of 90 kmph, the average speed will be 35 kmph, which is on par with international standard, according to Reddy.

'Of the 171 coaches for 57 trains, as many as seven have been delivered by Hyundai-Rotem and three coaches are being delivered monthly,' Reddy said. Each train, initially, will run with three coaches in semi-automatic mode. This will be later revamped to six coaches per train.

All the trains will have CCTV cameras inside and also on the outside. Mobile and laptop charging sockets will also be available in the coaches.