11 New Flyovers on Metro Corridor 1

Citizens for a Better Public Transport in Hyderabad

(A coalition of civil society organizations and individuals)

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Press Release - 29 December 2011

A disaster is waiting to happen on the Metro Corridor-I (Miyapur-L.B Nagar) - Prevent it and Save this city

The conditions stipulated by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MORTH), Government of India, for the Miyapur-LB Nagar route on National Highway-9 (Metro corridor 1) and accepted by the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between them on 18^th October 2011 are going to devastate Hyderabad city. It appears like the HMR authorities have not paid any thought to their implementability and their devastating impact on the city at all.

The metro itself is an elevated corridor for 29 km with 27 stations at 50-70 feet above the road on this corridor. It’s like a flyover from one end to the other end of the city. And then imagine building 11 new flyovers simultaneously along the same road in parallel direction of the metro. And two rail under bridges (RuBs) at Malakpet. At least 25-30 feet gap has to be left between the flyovers and the metro corridor. Is this possible on Hyderabad roads? Imagine the untold hardships that the citizens will be subjected to.

The new flyovers to be built are at –

1.      JNTU junction (Kukatpally) which should be extended upto Nizampet cross road on one side and Usha Mullapudi junction on the other.

2.      Godrej Y-junction (Kukatpallly)

3.      S.R. Nagar

4.      Maithrivanam (Ameerpet)

5.      Khairatabad junction

6.      Mozamjahi Market

7.      Moosarambagh junction

8.      Gaddiannaram junction

9.      Dilsukhnagar junction

10.  Chaitanyapuri junction

11.  Kothapet junction

Can anyone think of constructing flyovers and metro corridors at Maithrivanam (Ameerpet, where metro corridors 1 & 3 have to intersect above the road), Khairatabad and Mozamjahi Market? The M.J.Market is a historic heritage monument. Can it withstand such constructions in close vicinity?

Further, as per the MOU, 677 properties (worth 114,981 sq.mts of area) have to be demolished along this corridor for road widening so that metro corridors and the flyovers can be built.

Completion of a flyover in the busy streets takes 2-3 years even with precast building methods. If the metro corridor 1 of 29 km with 27 stations has to be taken up along with these new 11 flyovers, can they be completed in 4 years?

What do they want to do this city? Is the city meant only for cars, construction companies and contractors? The HMR and L&T seem to be playing hide & seek with the public regarding the true face of the metro in this corridor.

We demand that the L&T should make public the designs of the stations, including the metro intersection points, and the new flyovers. Even today the public are kept in dark about these hard realities. What else can you call this if not a scandal? Will the political parties take note of this?

Unless these issues are resolved, the metro works should be stopped immediately until these issues are resolved.  

Sd/-

1.      Dr. C. Ramachandraiah, Social Scientist, Convenor, Citizens for Better Public Transportation in Hyderabad

2.      Shri B. Ramakrishna Raju, Convenor, National Alliance of Peoples Movements (NAPM), Andhra Pradesh

3.      Mr. O.M. Debara, General Secretary, Forum For a Better Hyderabad (FBH)