Rs 60K crore for Hyderabad Metro expansion

The State Cabinet on Monday approved the massive expansion of Hyderabad Metro Rail with an infusion of Rs 60,000 crore.

The project is to be expanded towards the highways heading to Nagpur, Warangal, Mahbubnagar, Vijayawada and Bengaluru, in three to four years. The Cabinet cleared a proposal to lay a Metro Rail line all along the 159-km Outer Ring Road, which would not need for land acquisition.

The Cabinet also approved a resolution urging the Centre to utilise the Hakimpet Air Force Station (AFS) for civilian purposes along with defence purpose as was being done in Goa and Pune, since Hyderabad needed a second airport due to the heavy traffic at the Shamshabad airport. The Cabinet also approved a resolution urging Centre to speed up the setting up of the airport in Mamnoor,



Warangal.

Municipal minister K.T.Rama Rao said the decisions were intended to make Hyderabad a global city by creating world class public transport and infrastructure facilities.

He said two of the routes, Jubilee bus station to Tumkunta and Patny to Kandlakoya, would pass through the military area and defence land would have to be acquired for the purpose, and the government will pursue the issue with the Centre.

He said the government would seek financial assistance from the  Centre from the Metro Rail expansion. If it was not forthcoming, the state would build it on its own.

"If the Centre rejects funds to Telangana, we strongly believe that there will be a coalition government at the  Centre in 2024 in which BRS will be a key player," Rama Rao said.