The much awaited Ameerpet – Hitec City section of the Hyderabad Metro rail is on its way to start operations soon. The tentative date has been pegged to be in the final week of this month itself.
The section will undergo inspection by the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety anytime between the 18th – 20th February. If all operational and safety parameters are found to be in order, the safety certificate will be issued, paving the way for the section to be thrown open to the public.
The new stations on this section are Madhuranagar, Yusufguda, Jubilee Hills Rd 5, Jubilee Hills Check Post, Peddamma Gudi, Madhapur, Durgam Cheruvu and Hitec City. The remaining part of the same alignment from Hitec City to Raidurg via Cyber Gateway is still under construction.
The opening of the stretch from Ameerpet to Hitec City will connect far flung and densely populated areas like LB Nagar, Dilsukhnagar, Malakpet, Nagole, Tarnaka, Secunderabad, Begumpet, Miyapur, Kukatpally, Sanathnagar, etc to the Silicon valley of Hyderabad.
An official of the Hyderabad Metro Rail on condition of anonymity expressed total confidence that all safety precautions have been taken and trial runs have shown that the section has been completed in perfect condition. He said that it is only remains a formality to get the required sanctions to start passenger operations.
The Telangana Government would like to expedite the opening of the section to the public by the end of this month. The Election Commission of India might announce the dates and schedule of elections to the Lok Sabha in the first week of March, bringing the model code of conduct into force. The Telangana government and HMRL would like to beat the same by starting operations earlier.
The CMRS inspection involves strength checks of the pillars and spans, track alignments, trainset maintenance, OHE alignment and strength, signalling and telecommunication systems, concourse design and area, platform widths and movement areas, approach and exit paths, fire safety equipment and alarms, disaster management plan, signages and public address announcement systems, crowd management systems to ensure passenger safety and smooth operations.