Hyderabad Metro Double Deck Plans Face Cost Challenge
Hyderabad: Metro Rail officials have said that integrating Metro corridors with National Highway projects in Hyderabad could improve commuter convenience, but the exercise involves major engineering and financial challenges.
Officials said both projects would need to be executed simultaneously with integrated planning during construction. They added that the National Highways Authority’s proposal of spending nearly ₹60 crore per kilometre for integration would place a heavy financial burden on the Metro project.
Double-deck corridors proposed on two Metro routes
The Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II project includes eight corridors. Of these, double-deck structures have been proposed at two locations. A 1.2-km double-deck stretch has already been planned near Gangaram after Chandanagar.
The Roads and Buildings Department has also proposed a 5.5-km double-deck corridor on the LB Nagar-Hayatnagar route. The proposals have been sent to the National Highways Authority. Officials estimate that integrating these stretches would cost nearly ₹400 crore.
Land acquisition concerns remain on other stretches
National highways within the city are being developed with a width of 60 metres. Authorities are favouring double-deck structures to avoid inconvenience to motorists and minimise land acquisition issues.
However, there is no proposal for a double-deck structure on the Jubilee Bus Station-Shameerpet route, where the road width is narrow. Road expansion is currently under way for an elevated flyover. Officials said that if Metro works are not taken up simultaneously, additional land acquisition may be required later for the Metro corridor.
The JBS-Medchal route also has narrow stretches up to Dairy Farm. Officials fear that once flyovers are completed, there could be a perception that Metro connectivity is no longer necessary.
A similar situation emerged on the Lakdikapul-Raidurgam-Kondapur-Hafeezpet-BHEL Metro corridor, where the Metro proposal was pushed back after flyovers were constructed along the route.
