HARL team inspects proposed EBRTS corridor

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Airport Metro Ltd (HAML) Managing Director NVS Reddy along with his technical team inspected the proposed Elevated Bus Rapid Transit system (EBRTS) corridor from KPHB Metro station to Nanakramguda Jn over the last couple of days and held discussions with some important stakeholders in Metro Rail Bhavan today (Saturday).

Highlighting the increasing traffic congestion, pollution levels and travel time especially in the fast-growing western part of the city, the MD stressed the need for developing different types of public transportation systems to keep the city more efficient and globally competitive. He explained to them that the proposed EBRTS takes off from KPHB Metro station on corridor-I and passes through JNTU-Forum Mall road, Malaysian township, Hitex-NAC, CII-Tech Mahindra road, Raidurg, ISB Road, Wipro Jn and connects Nanakramguda Jn on the ORR. Multi-modal connectivity for this 17 km EBRTS project is being given at KPHB Metro station (corridor-I), Raidurg Metro station (corridor-III), Hitec City MMTS station and Nanakramguda station (Airport Metro corridor) for seamless transfer of passengers from one mode to another, he elaborated.

NVS Reddy informed the stakeholders that EBRTS is almost similar to the Metro Rail system, with an elevated viaduct providing dedicated Right of Way for running train like electric buses, but will be less costly than Metro. He indicated that further details will be shared with all stakeholders and the general public after finalisation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and its approval by the government.

In order to make the project financially viable for taking it up in Public-Private Partnership mode without any viability gap funding from Government, Reddy appealed to the stakeholders to become partners in this project in a unique Public-Private & Stakeholder Partnership (PPSP) model and give some land from their respective campuses for creation of world-class EBRT stations with mechanised parking facilities and circulation areas. Enthusiastically responding to the proposal, the representatives of the major IT/ITES companies and other stakeholders have thanked Telangana government for this important initiative and promised the MD that their managements would positively consider giving some parcels of land for the stations.

A.Amarnath Reddy, Chief Relations Officer, IT, E&C Department, Govt. of Telangana, CEE, HMRL D.V.S. Raju, CPM B.Anand Mohan, SE(C) M.Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, GM B.N.Rajeswar, DCP A.Balakrishna and the representatives of M/s.RV Associates, Microsoft India, WIPRO, Tech Mahindra, DLF, ISB, Capgemini, CII and other major IT/ITES companies and organisations participated in the meeting.