Assembly nod for Metro Rail takeover

Hyderabad: The Telangana Legislative Assembly on Saturday approved a resolution for the acquisition of the Hyderabad Metro Rail. The resolution was introduced by Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy.

The resolution marked a significant step in the state government’s move to take over the Hyderabad Metro Rail. With this approval, nearly all procedural formalities related to the acquisition had been completed. The government is slated to take over Metro operations from March 31 this year. Introducing the resolution in the House, the Chief Minister stated that the takeover is aimed at facilitating the expansion of the Metro network across the city.

On the occasion, Revanth Reddy also appealed to the central government to extend its cooperation in expanding Metro connectivity, emphasizing that the acquisition would help accelerate infrastructure development and improve urban transport in Hyderabad.

“In the interest of broader public welfare - and in response to demands from various sections of society to extend the Metro network across the Hyderabad Core Urban Region (CURE) - the state government has taken the decision to undertake Metro expansion. The government conducted a thorough review of the existing hurdles and operational challenges associated with this expansion,” the resolution said.

The current Phase I of the Metro network spans a total distance of 69 kilometers. Proposals for expansion - covering 76.4 kilometers under Phase II (A) and 86.1 kilometers under Phase II (B) - have been submitted to the central government. The House was apprised of the unique circumstances currently surrounding the expansion of the Hyderabad Metro, it added.

The House took into consideration the technical, legal, and administrative challenges involved in undertaking Phase II as a government project - through a joint partnership between the central and state governments - while Phase I continues to be under private management. This House approves the state government's decision - exercised through the HMRL - to take over the Metro Phase I network from L&T, in order to resolve the issues raised by the central government, the resolution explained. Therefore, this august House endorses the decisions taken by the state government regarding the process of taking over Metro Phase I and extends its full support, it said.