Recent Metro lines may earn TRS brownie points, but not in Old City

HYDERABAD: Ahead of the GHMC election, TRS may have struck a fortune with citizens for its effort to network the city with public transport, especially with new Metro lines. Citizens across the city seem to be fairly satisfied. 

However, in some areas like Old City, the lack of a long-debated metro line still irks residents. Many have termed the absence to be a deliberate attempt to keep the area under-developed. Residents around LB Nagar, Nagole and Tarnaka have requested for last mile connectivity from the Metro to various parts of the city.   

Apart from this, steadily developing areas such as Kokapet, Manikonda, Ghatkesar and Kompally are not connected to the mainland city via any form of transport.

K Mani, a domestic help from Balanagar Basti, said, “Public transport before Covid-19 was fine. However, recently, there aren’t enough TSRTC buses, and they ply at odd times. Our work has resumed, but lack of public transport is costing us our jobs. If bars and malls can be opened up, why can’t public transport be strengthened with precautions?”

Mohammad Asad, a shop owner from Begum Bazaar, said, “This part of the city desperately needs metro connectivity. Just a single Metro line here will change the face of Old City. For instance, the new green line has driven commercial as well as residential development in areas near Gandhi Hospital.”  

Residents of Ghatkesar and Kompally are also struggling. Sai Krishna from Ghatkesar says, “Apart from private cabs, and a few buses here and there, we have no means to come to the mainland.”