AP Cabinet approves "Hyderabad Metro Rail Project"

Hyderabad, Jan 20 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet today approved ''Hyderabad Metro Rail Project'' at the cost of Rs 8,760 crores and formation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) ''Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited'' (HMRL) to coordinate and monitor the speedy implementation of the project.

Briefing the press about the Cabinet decisions, State Information and Public Relations Minister Mohd Ali Shabbir said the first phase of the metro rail project covering 66.39 kms would be completed in four years.

The project would be implemented in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode on Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis.

All the stations would be connected with bus services and the terminals and junctions would be connected with Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS).

Stating that five international consortiums had come forward to take up the project, the Minister said the bid documents would be issued to the five consortiums, which got prequalified after the aprroval from the Centre.

Mr Shabbir said the work would begin from June 2007.

The stations would have modern passenger facilites like escalators and elevators. Coaches would be air-conditioned with automatic door closing system and most modern safety features, he added.

UNI