Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Friday laid a foundation stone for Hyderabad Airport Express Metro at the IKEA junction.
Once completed, it is going to cut the travel time from the city to Airport to just 26 minutes. It will also have a multi-location check-in facility.
The project will not only be a crucial link for the Aerocity at Adibatla and the proposed Pharma City but also provides public transport to southern Hyderabad.
It is estimated to be Rs. 6250 crores and will provide connectivity between Mindspace junction and Hyderabad Airport at Shamshabad.
HAML formed for Hyderabad Airport Express Metro
For the 31-km long Airport Metro corridor, a special purpose vehicle Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML) was formed. It is a joint venture between Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL), Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), and Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC).
As per the HAML Managing Director NVS Reddy, the corridor will have more advanced facilities when compared to the Hyderabad Metro Rail. He is aiming to provide facilities better than the services available in Hong Kong or Gatwick airport.
On its Twitter handle, Hyderabad Metro Rail revealed that there will be a provision of half-height platform screen doors for improved passenger safety. Apart from there will be smoke and fire detectors in coaches and driver cabs.
For the comfort of the passengers, there will be bolster-less bogies and Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) gates at each station.
In order to keep passengers informed about the flights, there will be a Flight Information Display (FIDs) and information desk at all airport metro stations.
No Metro Rail in Old City of Hyderabad
Recently, Hyderabad Metro Rail completed five years. Despite it, residents of the Old City of Hyderabad are still waiting for the metro in their area.
Last month, Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittihad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi urged Telangana Urban development minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) to initiate metro works from MGBS to Falaknuma.
Earlier, AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi also met NVS Reddy and urge him to take up the construction of old city metro corridor works from Imlibun Bus Station to Falaknuma.
Even after all representations, the work of the old city metro corridor has not been started. This is a surprising thing given the fact that AIMIM was seen supporting the state ruling party on multiple occasions.
