KCR took up the 4-year-old lingering matter and got the approvals within days of the formation of new governments in Telangana and at the Centre.
In a major boost to the Hyderabad Metro Rail project, the Defence Ministry has approved the transfer of 2.15 acres of Defence land to HMR for construction of the Parade Grounds interchange Metro station, and has given Right Of Way for the Metro Rail for a length of 2.23 km in Defence areas.
The issue had been lingering for the last 4 years, and successive Chief Secretaries were pursuing it with the Defence Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary in the past.
Former Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had also taken it up with the then Defence Minister A K Antony, but the issue was not resolved.
On being apprised by HMR MD N V S Reddy regarding this major hurdle for the Metro project, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao immediately took up the matter on priority and got the Defence Minister's approval within a few days of the formation of new governments in Telangana and at the Centre.
The Chief Minister thanked Defence Minister Arun Jaitley for his immediate approval of transfer of land and permitting Right Of Way for the Metro project in the Defence areas of Secunderabad.
The Chief Minister also thanked Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu for facilitating the fast clearance of the recommendatory letters by the Urban Development Ministry to the Ministry of Finance etc. for concessional import tariffs for equipment for the Metro project.
The Chief Minister, meanwhile, instructed N V S Reddy to bring any such major hurdles to his personal notice for immediately resolving them, so that the Metro Rail project can be completed ahead of schedule.
With the Defence Ministry's clearance, construction of the Parade Grounds Metro station, which is a complicated structure connecting Corridor-II and Corridor-III, can be taken up now.
Construction of the viaduct of corridor-III from the DCP North office in Maredpally to the Secunderabad P G College (Paradise), and the pillar construction from JBS to Parade Grounds, can also be started.
This portion of Corridor-II will have to cross over the Hari Hara Kala Bhavan flyover at double elevated level, which poses several engineering challenges in the construction of the Parade Grounds Interchange Station, and will take a minimum of 2 years.
As per mutually agreed terms, which were negotiated over the last few years between senior officers of the State Government and the Defence Ministry, 2.15 acres of Defence land in front of the Ganesh temple in Secunderabad will be handed over to HMR.
In return, HMR will transfer 1.68 acres of the Old Gandhi Hospital land which is in its possession to the Army, and will also construct a Sainik Aramghar admeasuring 60,000 sft on it at HMR's cost.
Located adjacent to Secunderabad Railway station, this Sainik Aramghar (resthouse) will be very useful and convenient for the Defence forces.
The Defence Ministry has also permitted usage of 3.65 acres of Defence land by HMR for construction of Metro Rail pillars and viaduct on a long-term annual license fee basis as per the Defence Ministry's rates.
The Chief Minister also had a detailed meeting with Chief Secretary Dr Rajiv Sharma, MA & UD Principal Secretary Dr. S K Joshi and N V S Reddy, and instructed them to ensure that no heritage structure was disturbed by the Metro Rail alignment.
The Chief Minister is keen on protecting the Telangana Martyrs' Memorial at Gun Park, the view of the Assembly and Mozamjahi Market, apart from preserving the heritage value of Sultan Bazaar.
He instructed them to make use of the services of eminent technical experts and explore different options including taking the Metro Rail alignment underground in front of the Assembly and slightly diverting the alignment of Corridor-II away from Sultan Bazaar.
The Chief Secretary informed the Chief Minister that efforts had been initiated by the HMR's authorities in right earnest to follow up on the CM's instructions, and that different technical options were being explored. (INN)