Authorities of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) and Larsen and Toubro (L&T) on Monday said that they have set themselves a target, of completing all construction work of Phase 1 of the project, by October 15.
The Times of India reported that the authorities have also set November 15 as their target for obtaining safety certification from Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS).
Last week, the Telangana government announced that the inauguration would take place on November 28.
“Though it took about 6 months to reassemble the thousands of dismantled steel pieces, which were brought from Ghaziabad to Secunderabad on special containers, but it took only 10 days to launch the mammoth 1100 ton Oliphenta steel bridge. Achieving such an engineering feat in a crowded area is equal to setting a world record. Now the track works above the steel bridge is going on in full swing," the ToI report quoted HMRL Chief, NVS Reddy as saying.
Reddy's services were extended by one year, in June this year, by the Telangana state government.
Last week, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inviting him to inaugurate the first phase of the project.
"Hyderabad Metro Rail is a prestigious Urban Elevated Mass Rapid Transit System, with over Rs 15,000 crore in capital investment and the largest project under Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the country," the letter read.
“As you have also kindly agreed to inaugurate the Global Entrepreneurs Summit being held in Hyderabad during November 28-31, Hyderabad Metro Rail inauguration can also be scheduled during the same visit," the letter added.
The entire project should have been completed and operational by July 2017, as per the concession agreement signed with the then united Andhra Pradesh government in 2010.
The HMRL has said that the main reason for the delay was due to land acquisition issues, following which the deadline was revised.
Despite facing hurdles, eight kilometres between Nagole and Mettuguda and 12 kilometres between Miyapur and SR Nagar have been ready for months.
The first phase, which will be inaugurated, will stretch across 28 km from Nagole to Miyapur, via Ameerpet.
As of now, the deadline to make the project fully operational is December 2018.