Metro Rail – The future of urban transport

In the April 2011 issue of this magazine we published a detail update on the Mumbai Metro. Here, V B Gadgil, chief executive and managing director of L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) gives an overview of the upcoming metro project in Hyderabad. It is set to be a jewel of southern-India
Metros and Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) are emerging as a major area for infrastructure development in major cities with high population. L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Project is a unique project with specific focus on integrated public transportation and infrastructure development of the city of Hyderabad. This is the need of the hour to decongest the city roads and provide a seamless transport network to bring down travel time.
Infrastructure development will continue to be the focus of both Government and private sector, backed by policy initiatives to propel overall growth. This is supported by the planning commission’s ambitious investment plan on infrastructure over the next five years in various sectors like power, irrigation, roads, railways, ports and airports. As a harbinger for many of the major infrastructure projects in India, recently L&T has been awarded “Infrastructure Company of the Year”.
Every city has a history, design, architecture, transportation character and a street-laying pattern that is unique to it. A city has to grow and evolve through a coordinated effort aimed at achieving progress even while conserving its history and heritage. A progress will become structurally purposeful, ethically meaningful and economically sustainable only when it is achieved through a people-partnered process and we at L&T believe and follow this process.
L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd. is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) floated by L&T for implementing Hyderabad Metro Project. This public-private partnership (PPP) project with a total cost of Rs.16,375 crore will be completed in a span of five years from the appointed date, this project will be executed in a design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis. The concession period of the project is 35 years, with an entitlement of further 25 years. This project would be an efficient, safe and reliable public transport system.
Hyderabad Metro rail network will cover a total distance of 71.16 km across three corridors, involving 66 ultra-modern stations with state-of-the-art depots and complete infrastructure.

Corridor I: Miyapur to LB Nagar (28.87 km – 27 stations)
Corridor II: JBS to Falaknuma (14.78 km – 16 stations)
Corridor III: Nagole to Shilparamam (27.51 km – 23 stations).
L&T has inducted world class consultants to work on this major project:

AECOM Feedback Ventures Consortium – General Consultant
Parsons Brinckerhoff – Programme Manager
L&T Ramboll – Design and Traffic Consultant
L&T ECC – Detailed Engineering
Skyline Archon (Hyderabad) Pvt Ltd – Traffic Management.
L&T and Hyderabad Metro Rail, Government of Andhra Pradesh have appointed Louis Berger as an independent Engineering Consultant.
This project has achieved financial closure in a record time of six months and is the largest fund tie up in India for a non-power infrastructure PPP project. A consortium of 10 banks led by SBI has sanctioned the entire debt requirement of Rs.11,478 crore for the project. The equity component for the project, expected to be around Rs.3,439 crore would be infused by L&T Group. Viability grant of Rs.1,458 crore will be sanctioned by Government of India, through Ministry of Urban Development and Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Pre-construction works like geo-technical and topographical survey for all the three corridors have been completed. L&T metro rail project is an urban rejuvenation and redesign effort to transform Hyderabad into a people friendly green city. It will be an eco-friendly mode of transport reducing carbon emissions.
L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad project will develop 18.5 million sq. ft. of transit-oriented development (TOD) in the earmarked P&C areas and depots. The company expects fare box collection from ridership, rentals from transit oriented space, advertising and carbon credit to contribute to the revenues of the project, and is scheduled to be commissioned by 2016.
The project is expected to trigger robust economic activity in and around the city and will generate substantial employment in all fields of activity.
Salient features of the project:

Green eco-friendly mode of travel – reduces carbon emission, fuel consumption and pollution
Faster, safer and comfortable air conditioned travel with reduced travel time
Seamless commuting with ultra-modern coaches
Connects major offices, retail and residential areas
Integration with existing rail terminals, MMTS and Bus stations
High frequency of trains – reduced waiting time
User-friendly elevated world-class stations with lifts, staircases and facilities for the disabled
Parking facility at strategic locations along the route in the designated P&C areas
Automatic ticket vending machines and automatic fare collection system
Feeder buses to stations from different areas of the city
Commuter friendly shopping facilities at the concourse level at stations.
The L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Project, once completed will transform Hyderabad as the preferred city in India; with integrated urban transport planning using inter modal connectivity and convenient sky-walks, which will mark the beginning of an era of seamless commuting in India.

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