Old City Hyd Locals Resist Metro Rail

Telangana State government and the officials of consessionaire Laursen & Tourbo company had been at logger heads regarding Hyderabad Metro Rail project’s realignment in three areas of the city. Metro Rail officials raised questions on realignment saying it as not cost effective which would unlease a lot of financial burden on the company.

A stage came when Centre had to intervene. But surprisingly, the above said two parties came to a consensus and the realignment was agreed upon. The latest an all party meet was held in Hyderabad to come to consensus on the same. It is learnt that realignment in the areas of Sultan Bazaar and Assembly had no problems.

Coming to the old city area, the government had no information about the realignment as the concerned survey isn’t done and hence the discussion on the issue couldn’t be taken up. So, all party meet couldn’t come to a consensus as far as old city area is concerned. But MIM leader Akbaruddin says that the new route would be more helpful as the old route proposed for metro rail would affect 126 properties, 40 mosques, 11 ashoorkhanas and 10 temples in the area.

The reason behind not completing survey is severe opposition from the locals of the old city. As per the opinion of the former Speaker Suresh Reddy, without proper survey discussions on the issue isn’t feasible. Even the present route is going to effect some cherished structures like Government Maternity Hospital and Nehru Zoological Park etc. Though the structures affected are minimum in the new route, the resistance from locals is maximum which isn’t allowing officials to decide and hence creating much confusion.