Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao laid the foundation stone for Hyderabad Airport Express Metro rail on Friday, connecting the heart of Hyderabad with Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad on the outskirts of the city.
Addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone, the chief minister said Hyderabad was one of the fastest-growing metropolitan cities with a historical background. The construction activity was going on at a brisk pace, with the demand for the real estate sector fast picking up.
“A large number of skyscrapers are coming up all around the city, and there is a huge demand for office space. The expansion of the metro rail network is being taken up keeping in view the ever-growing needs of the city,” he said.
The 31-km long metro rail corridor will connect the Information Technology hub at Mindspace junction in the upscale Madhapur with the airport, which caters to the growing needs of the city population, reducing their travel time by more than one hour.
The airport express metro corridor, estimated to cost ₹6,250 crore, will be a 100 per cent state government-owned project without any central assistance.
{{/usCountry}}The airport express metro corridor, estimated to cost ₹6,250 crore, will be a 100 per cent state government-owned project without any central assistance.
{{/usCountry}}Since there is a dedicated metro rail along the outer ring road, there is no need for any major land acquisition for the same, Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited managing director N V S Reddy said.
He said the airport metro rail would have more advanced features than the Hyderabad metro rail. It will have both an elevated and underground section.
“While the existing metro rail has a speed of 35km per hour and can go up to a maximum of 80 kmph, the airport metro rail can go up to 120 kmph at maximum.
“The 31 km long stretch can be easily covered in just 26 minutes with the coaches being lightweight to increase the speed,” he said.
The metro station at Raidurg near Mindspace will have a security luggage check-in system so that passengers can check in their luggage at the station, which will be directly transferred to the flight.
“The passengers will be able to use a single smart card for both metros to travel,” he added.