All You Need To Know About Hyderabad Metro

The 10-kilometre stretch of the Hyderabad Metro's Phase-III between Ameerpet and Hitec City was opened for public use on March 20. The newly launched route will have nine stations — Ameerpet, Madhura Nagar, Yousufguda, Jubilee Hills Road No. 5, Jubilee Hills Checkpost, Peddamma Temple, Madhapur, Durgam Cheruvu, Hitec City.

With the 56 km length operational, it has now become India's second largest Metro Rail network, next only to Delhi.

"Opening of the 10-km stretch will be a game-changer not only for the Metro project but for Hyderabad city itself. In the next few years, it will make a huge difference in the travel characteristics of the city and improve the competitiveness of Hyderabad," Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) Managing Director N V S Reddy was quoted as saying in a PTI report. 

In September last year, the 16-km Ameerpet-LB Nagar stretch of the Red Line of the Hyderabad Metro became operational, marking the completion of the 29.2-km Corridor-I, and taking the total length of the city’s Metro rail network to 46 kilometres, the second-largest Metro network in India after Delhi.

The minimum fare will be Rs 10 for a distance of up to two kms, and the highest fare will be Rs 60 for a distance of more than 26 kms.

The project, apart from being a means of high-speed transport, will also aim to keep the city green and pollution-free. According to official estimates, the city's population will reach 13.6 million by 2021 and the newly-launched Metro network will play a crucial role in curbing private vehicle ownership in the city.

Key features of the Hyderabad Metro Network

• The Union Urban Development Ministry gave its approval to the Hyderabad Metro in 2003, and asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to help with the initial planning. 

• The 73-km-long network, being developed under Phase-I, will cover three high-density traffic corridors of the city. The first corridor between Miyapur and LB Nagar will have 24 stations, the second corridor between JBS and Falaknuma will have 16 stations and the third corridor between Nagole and Shilparamam will have 23 stations.

• Being developed on a design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) basis on a public-private partnership model by operator Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd (HMRL), the project is estimated to cost over Rs 15,000 crore.

• There are plans to integrate the Metro network with other public transport systems like the Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) and Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC).

• The train speed would range between a maximum of 80 kmph (kilometre per hour) and a minimum of 34 kmph. The Metro network is expected to bring down travel time by a huge margin. For instance, the second corridor will cover the total 15-km distance between Jubilee Bus Station to Falaknuma in 22 minutes. By bus, this distance is covered in an hour and 10 minutes.

• During peak hours, the Metro would have a frequency of three to five minutes and the network is expected to carry over 17 lakh passengers per day. This number is expected to reach 24 lakh by 2024.

• All stations will have air-conditioned Merry-Go-Round mini-bus services, giving passengers an easy connectivity to nearby places.

• The eco-friendly travel mode is also expected to bring down noise and air pollution in the city.

• The architecture of stations will have a mix of local flavours and latest designs.

• While the project looks to keep demolition exercises as low as possible, it is also planned that only government land will be used to create parking areas.