Hyderabad Metro to miss deadline, L&T asks state for extension

Citizens of Hyderabad will have to wait a bit longer for the metro rail, as construction major Larsen & Toubro, which is developing the metro project, missed its deadline and has sought an extension. 

Speaking to media persons on Saturday, Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) Managing Director NVS Reddy said that they had applied for an extension, and were awaiting the state government's approval.

As per the concession agreement signed with the then government of united Andhra Pradesh in 2010, the entire project should have been completed and operational by July 2017.

However, the date was later revised after several issues of land acquisition.

Reddy also announced many plans of the HMRL, and how they plan to provide facilities for parking and for pedestrians. 

According to reports, the HMRL will develop 17 parking and circulation areas in Ameerpet, Punjagutta, Parade Grounds, Miyapur, Balanagar, Erramanzil, Malakpet, LB Nagar, Falaknuma, Hitec city, Nagole, Raidurg, Yousufguda, Old Gandhi Hospital, MGBS, Kukatpally and Rasoolpura.

Already, eight kilometres between Nagole and Mettuguda and 12 kilometres between Miyapur and SR Nagar have completed their test runs, and are ready to be inaugurated.

"The second corridor too will be completed by the middle of next year. A few more months will be needed after that to complete the remaining formalities," Reddy was quoted as saying.

Many arterial roads in the city presently have diversions and bottlenecks, with traffic coming to a complete standstill during rush hours.

In another development, the HMRL stated that it had spent over Rs 12,000 crore so far, on the project.

"L&T has spent over Rs 12,000 crore. We (government) spent Rs 2,100 crore from our Rs 3,000 crore commitment. Part of the project is expected to be operational during the current year," NVS Reddy said.