Hyderabad Airport Metro Ltd (HAML) Managing Director NVS Reddy, along with senior engineers and technical consultants, inspected the Metro Rail corridors to Medchal and Shamirpet on Sunday. The inspection aimed to resolve technical challenges related to the alignment, according to HAML.
Challenges in Metro Alignment
The alignment of the Metro corridor from Paradise to Bowenpally presents engineering challenges due to the steep curvature of the road along the airport boundary. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has planned an elevated corridor that will pass below the runway of Begumpet Airport through a tunnel for approximately 600 meters. This poses a significant challenge for the Metro corridor, which must be dropped to tunnel level and raised again to a double-elevated height post-tunnel, adding engineering complexities.
Exploring Alternative Solutions
To overcome these challenges and to create an integrated Metro hub at JBS, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed HAML MD to explore the feasibility of initially combining the Paradise-Medchal and JBS-Shamirpet corridors before splitting them later. Acting on this suggestion, the MD and his team surveyed various roads in the Cantonment area to identify the most feasible Metro rail alignment.
Surveyed Routes for Metro Alignment
The team examined several key roads, including:
- JBS-Secunderabad Club Road
- Staff Road (Picket KV School Road)
- Mudfort Road
- Tivoli Junction Road
- Diamond Point Junction-Centre Point Junction-Hasmathpet Junction-Bowenpally Road
- Tadbund-Anjaneya Swamy Temple Road
- Tadbund Junction-Airport Office Junction-Bowenpally Check-Post Road
Key Directives from HAML MD
During the inspection, NVS Reddy issued directives to his team, emphasizing the need to:
- Evaluate pros and cons of all alternative routes to avoid steep curves
- Minimise private property acquisition
- Cater to the highest number of residential colonies
- Identify tentative station locations with available vacant State Government/Defence land for better passenger amenities
Advantages of Combined Corridor Approach
The inspection revealed that combining the Metro corridors at JBS initially could eliminate the need for tunnel construction below the airport and its related engineering complications. The proposed alignment would join NH junction near Sarojini Pulla Reddy bungalow road, allowing construction of Metro pillars and viaducts along the widened service road median without disrupting ongoing NH flyover construction.
This integration would result in a seamless 60 km Metro corridor from Medchal to the airport, covering JBS, MGBS, and Chandrayangutta.
Plans for JBS as a Mega Metro Hub
The MD indicated that JBS is planned to be developed into a major Metro hub catering to commuters from Secunderabad, northern parts of the city, and northern Telangana districts. Around 30 acres of land belonging to the State Government and Defence authorities are expected to be pooled to facilitate this development.
JBS-Shamirpet Metro Corridor Feasibility
The press release also mentioned that the JBS-Shamirpet corridor can be directly extended from the existing first Metro pillar near Secunderabad Club. It will be constructed as a double-elevated structure over the proposed HMDA elevated corridor on Karimnagar Highway, which is currently undergoing widening.
HAML’s efforts in resolving the technical challenges and advancing the Metro Rail project aim to enhance connectivity and ease of travel for Hyderabad residents and visitors alike.