Soon, Hyderabad Metro Rail stations will sport an airport-like feel.

Hyderabad is likely to ride on its first Metro rail on Ugadi day in 2015, the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMR) has stated recently. HMR Managing Director NVS Reddy said that stage I of the Rs 14,132-crore Metro Rail comprising a stretch of 8 kilometre, is most likely to be opened for public on Ugadi, the Telugu new year day, in 2015.

NVS Reddy, Managing Director of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) informed that the firm would throw open for public use the first 8-km Nagole-Mettuguda section of the metro rail project in March 2015.

During a meeting of the Special Task Force (STF), the Andhra Pradesh State Chief Secretary PK Mohanty suggested Hyderabad Metro Rail to prepare a master plan for future rail extensions. In order to meet the future needs of fast expanding city, Mohanty suggested the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority Commissioner NK Prasad and Hyderabad Metro Rail Managing Director NVS Reddy to develop a Master Plan for future Metro Rail extensions. Moh

Consultancy firm LEA Associates recommended L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail to take up longer span works at junctions going up to 34 metre or about 112 feet with segmental construction. However, in cases where the length is more than 34 metre, such structures will have to be constructed on the site against pre-fabricated links and shifted for the project implementation

NVS Reddy, Managing Director, Hyderabad Metro Rail, speaks to Shashidhar Nanjundaiah at a time when Delhi Metro’s Airport Express, the lone PPP case in Metro rail in India, abruptly shut down at least until August reportedly for “technical and financial” reasons.

How will upcoming metro rail systems respond to how an integrated system to ensure the city’s traffic and architecture is preserved or enhanced?Metro systems at present are being tre­ated stan­da­lone and not as cogs in a mobi­lity wheel for a city. Cities are not able to integrate the transport ser­vices in the city because their is no single authority to manage all aspects of urban transport.

What our cities must get right before jumping to future transport options. “Why focus on urban transport?” asked a 2005 government presentation document, somewhat rhetorically.