Hyderabad metro work crawls, AP govt goes for alternative

It looks like the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project will be delayed for a while. And, the Andhra Pradesh government is now looking to the second phase of the Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) for help in dealing with Hyderabad's growing traffic problems, CNBC-TV18 reports.

Here is a verbatim transcript of Vishwanath Pilla's comments on CNBc-TV18. Also watch the accompanying video.

It has been on the backburner for a while now, as the AP government bet on the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project to ease Hyderabad's traffic problems. Not any more. CNBC-TV18 learns that Phase-2 expansion of the MMTS may soon be brought on to the fast track.

Sources say the government has written to the Ministry of Railways to initiate efforts for the second phase. Estimates suggest the project could cost the AP government upto Rs 614 crore, with the Railways bearing one-third the total cost.

Phase-II will span 67 kilometres, and will cover three sectors-Secunderabad to Medchal, Faluknuma to Shamshabad and Secunderabad to Ghatkesar - Hyderabadis are all for the move.

When the project was first started in 2003, it did not find many takers and as the frequency of MMTS trains fell, Phase-2 was put on hold.

CNBC-TV18 learns there was another reason phase-2 of the project had been shelved-a rider in the concession agreement of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project, which prohibits a competing parallel transport system. But with increasing traffic congestion, and a delayed metro project, this may be Hyderabad's only chance.