City Metro trains to run more trips soon

Hyderabad Metro Rail authorities are likely to increase the frequency of the three-car trains to four minutes a train from the current seven-eight minutes once the Ameerpet-HiTec City line becomes operational later this year, most likely from October onwards.

Ever since the frequency of trains was increased from 15 minutes to 8 minutes, between Miyapur-Ameerpet and Nagole-Ameerpet, respectively, of the 30 km inaugural stretch from last month, the number of passengers has risen appreciably.

“From an average of 50,000 passengers a day the number has increased to 70,000 a day on weekdays alone with the number of services increasing to 540 from both directions.

“We are confident the number will only rise as we open more lines for commissioning,” said HMR managing director N.V.S. Reddy.

Buoyant with the response, L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH) has reduced the train waiting time at the stations from 20 seconds to 10 seconds while maintaining 45 seconds halt at the Ameerpet interchange station connecting Corridor One (Red Line - Miyapur to L.B. Nagar) and Corridor Three (Blue line - Nagole to Hi-Tec City).

“We are now doing Nagole-Miyapur in 52 minutes,” beamed L&TMRH Chief Operating Officer Anil Kumar Saini, in a recent interaction. Sale of smart cards has crossed the two lakh mark (2.2 lakh) in the last five months with daily sale going up to 800 cards.

The matter of monthly passes will take more time as concentration is on completing and commissioning the remaining sections.

Mr. Saini said the initiative to run ‘IPL specials’ where metro trains are run from Nagole till 12.30 a.m. has been well received by cricket fans with patronage of up to 25,000 passengers.

While early morning trains (from 6 a.m.) has not been witnessing much footfall, there is a possibility of increasing the night trains for another half-hour from the current 10.30 p.m.

Trains are now running at an average speed of 33 kmph although the speeds are reduced to 25 kmph at the extreme curves (as in Begumpet) which were taken up during the construction stage to save properties and also because a few technical issues are still to be sorted out.

“Most technical issues relating to use of Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) will be tackled once all the corridors are completed and commissioned.

It will be fully functional when lines are opened between Ameerpet-L.B. Nagar and Ameerpet-HiTec City in the months ahead,” explained the HMR managing director.