Old City Metro Road widening works reach critical stage

Land acquisition for the 7.5-km Old City Metro stretch is nearly complete, with 550+ demolitions done. Rs 433 crore compensation has been paid, and preparatory work is ongoing. Sensitive heritage sites are being protected as pillar locations are finalized for construction

Hyderabad: The land acquisition and demolition of affected properties in the 7.5 km Old City Metro Corridor have reached a crucial stage with the required Right of Way (RoW) being almost available now, said the Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML) Managing Director, NVS Reddy.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, NVS Reddy said the expansion works were being carried out at a rapid pace and though the initial estimate of affected properties stood at 1,100, innovative engineering solutions have brought the number down to 886. Over 550 demolitions have already been completed, and work is underway to clear the remaining structures, he said.

Compensation amounting to Rs 433 crore has been disbursed to property owners so far. Preparatory works for Metro pillars and station construction were in full swing, he said, adding that the focus areas include Differential GPS (DGPS) surveys for precision mapping, identification and relocation of underground utilities, soil testing and geotechnical analysis, and protection of sensitive heritage structures along the alignment.

As per the master plan, the road is being widened to 100 feet, necessitating demolition of impacted properties. Agencies, including Hyderabad Water Board, GHMC, TGSPDCL, and BSNL, were collaborating to relocate utilities.

The alignment passes through several sensitive structures, which have been identified and the alignment has been adjusted accordingly. Pillar locations are being marked based on this refined alignment, with milestone markers placed every 100 metres to guide construction. ‘All necessary technical preparations are in full swing to initiate the Old City Metro Rail works soon,’ NVS Reddy added.