Stalemate Over Route Map May Delay Hyderabad Metro
L&T has written 4 letters to the Government seeking clarifications on the objections raised by KCR on the design, but hasn't received any replies.
Hyderabad | 14th October 2014
Nearly one month after threatening to pull out of the Rs 16,000+ crore Hyderabad Metro Rail project, the developer, L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad, is still waiting for the Telangana State Government's response to the issues concerning the design of the route map.
According to sources, the L&T authorities have written four letters to the State Government seeking clarifications on the objections raised on the floor of the State Legislative Assembly by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on the design of the Metro Rail project.
KCR had opposed any damage to the heritage structures around the Assembly premises, including the Telangana martyrs' memorial at Gun Park, to facilitate the project. For similar reasons, he wanted the Metro Rail route to be changed at Sultan Bazar, too.
He favoured an underground route at some places to ensure that the heritage structures remained intact.
The State Government has reportedly not yet replied to any of the letters written by the L&T authorities. Consequently, the Metro Rail works at the Assembly building have stayed stalled since May 23.
"Since we can't have a direct confrontation with the Chief Minister, we can't resume the works unless we get a total clearance from the State Government," one L&T official said when contacted.
The project was originally scheduled to complete by August 15, 2016. However, any changes in the design or route map might delay the project by almost one year.
Besides leading to an escalation in the project cost, the delay in the completion of the project might result in L&T paying compensation to the government as per the original agreement.
The L&T authorities, however, are certain of completing the S R Nagar to Miyapur stretch by August 15, 2015. (INN)
filed in: Hyderabad Metro Rail, Hyderabad, Metro Rail, KCR, Infrastructure