HYDERABAD: Akbaruddin Owaisi, the floor leader for AIMIM in the Telangana State Legislative Assembly, asked Hyderabad Metro Rail on Wednesday to begin building metro rail in the ancient city as soon as possible.

Akbaruddin Owaisi requested N. V. S. Reddy, the managing director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL), to start building the metro corridor from Imlibun Bus Station to Falaknuama. He emphasised how Rs 500 crore had already been allotted by the state government for Metro connectivity to the old city.

The state government allocated Rs 500 crore to Hyderabad Metro Rail for starting work on the long-delayed connectivity to the old city from MGBS, Imlibun to Falaknuma under Corridor-II of 5.5 km in the current fiscal year 2022–23 as a result of repeated requests and representations by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Owaisi  said.

The Chandrayangutta constituency MLA recalled that he had asked the state administration to set a deadline for starting and finishing the Metro Rail works on the stretch of the old city. "I have been asking with the government to swiftly finish the Metro Rail construction in the ancient city, but so far there has been no sign of progress. Even though budgetary funding has been allocated, there is still an excessive delay in extending HMR connectivity in the ancient city, which is surprising but true "In a letter to Reddy. Reddy and other HMR representatives described to Owaisi the intended HMR alignment in the old city during the meeting.

Amounts totaling Rs 2,377.35 crore were allocated to HMR in the state budget for 2022–2023 This sum includes Rs 500 crore for the ancient city's connectivity.
Three lines totaling 69.2 km in length make up the first phase of the L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH) project. While the corridors from L. B. Nagar to Miyapur and Nagole to Raidurg have been finished, the corridor from Jubilee Bus Station (JBS) to Falaknuma has not. Connectivity has been made available from JBS to MGBS, also known as Imlibun, on the third corridor.

Because he does not have permission, the developer has refrained from expanding in the old city. The intended 5.5 km stretch of metro construction has been delayed for a number of reasons, including financial losses incurred by the developer and operator as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and religious and historic monuments along the proposed route in the old city.

It is also unclear whether the state government would provide independent funding for the renovations in the ancient city. The cost of the project has already increased significantly due to the need to acquire property, relocate utilities like water and power lines, and build elevated viaducts and stations. As a result, it is unlikely that the concessionaire will pay for the work.

L&TMRHL asked the state government for assistance last year to help them recover from the losses brought on by the pandemic.

The 73-km elevated metro, which was constructed using the public-private partnership (PPP) model and cost Rs 20,000 crore in total, is the largest metro project in the world. 55 trains are operated by Hyderabad Metro. It was carrying nearly 4.5 lakh passengers daily before Covid started.

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