Metro feasibility study to allow flyers a zip-ride to Shamshabad

HYDERABAD: Travelling to Shamshabad to catch a flight will soon be a breeze as the extension of the Hyderabad Metro rail to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) is under active consideration.

Even as work is in progress on the three Metro rail corridors planned by the Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL), the authorities have also simultaneously begun feasibility studies on extending the Metro rail to Shamshabad.

Chief minister KCR had, during a meeting with GMR top brass on Tuesday, told government officials that the Metro rail has to be extended up to Shamshabad to make it convenient for air travelers to reach the airport.

"We are already working on the proposal to extend the Metro rail up to the airport.This is part of our Phase-2 plan for the Metro," HMRL managing director NVS Reddy told TOI on Wednesday.

The CM had directed that officials of airport developer GMR, HMRL and L&T to hold a meeting to chalk out the action plan for extending the Metro rail to the airport."The meeting will take place once we get an official com munication," NVS Reddy said. According to preliminary plans that have been drawn up, an additional 83-km line will be added in Phase-2.

If these plans fructify, the Metro rail will extend from Nagole to LB Nagar to Shamshabad, a 28-km stretch. Another 28-km stretch will be laid from Raidurg-GachibowliShamshabad airport.

Additionally, the Metro rail will also be extended by 7 km from Tarnaka to ECIL and LB Nagar to Hayathnagar, which is also 7 km. One more stretch proposed is from Miyapur to BHEL to Patancheru, which will be 13 km long. A final call will have to be taken on these Phase-2 stretches. "It will be a fresh beginning for Phase-2 of the Metro rail. All procedures will begin afresh," NVS Reddy said.

So far, the Delhi Metro is the only Metro in the country that connects to the airport.Sharat Sharma, director, operations, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRL) told TOI on the phone from Delhi that one of the best things about the Delhi Metro is that passengers can also check in for their flights (on some airlines) at two of the Metro stations and the luggage is transported to the airport.

"If they have enough time, passengers can go around the city and come back to the airport on the Metro in time for their flight with checkin formalities already being completed earlier," Sharma said.