PM inaugurates Hyderabad Metro, biggest public-private deal in sector

Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday afternoon inaugurated the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project, billed the world’s largest public-private partnership in the sector, costing an estimated Rs 18,000 crore.

The Prime Minister kicked off the service at the Miyapur Metro station after which he took a five-kilometre ride till the Kukutpally station along with Governor ESL Narasimhan, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, Information Technology Minister K T Rama Rao, Union Urban Affairs Minister Harider Singh Puri and BJP leaders Kishen Reddy and Dr K Laxman.

The Prime Minister arrived at the Begumpet Airport around 1.30 pm and addressed party cadres at a special venue there. He addressed workers for a few minutes in both Telugu and Hindi.

Prime Minister Modi has categorically said there will be no discrimination against any state and that the central government would stick to constructive cooperative federalism, respect various states’ needs and aspirations.

Modi said he would remember Hyderabad as it was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who merged Hyderabad province into the Indian Union and called Hyderabad veer bhoomi, the land of warriors who fought against the Hyderabad province.

Due to the tight time schedule -- as Mr Modi left soon after to inaugurate the Global Entrepreunership Summit (GES) -- there was no public meeting to mark the inauguration of the Hyderabad Metro Rail.

The commercial operations of the project that has overcome many hurdles will begin November 29.

Inside the train:

Here is the timeline of the project:

• May 2007: Formation of Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited
• September 2008: Concession Agreement signed between Andhra Pradesh Government (undivided) and Maytas Metro Ltd (MML)
• July 2009: Termination of CA with MML and invoking of Bank Guarantee for Rs 60 crore (plus Rs 11 crore)
• July 2010: Financial Bids (RFP) opened for the second time
• September 2010: Concession Agreement signed with LTMRHL (L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited)
• January 2011: Allotment of 104 acres of land at Uppal
• March 2011: Financial Closure, submission for Escrow, Substitution Agreement, Common Loan Agreement
• March 2012: Handing over of Miyapur Depot land (104 acres) to LTMRHL
• April 2012: Commencement of ground works by the concessionaire
• May 2012: Appointment of Keolis as O&M contractor by LTMRHL
• November 2012: Formal inauguration of Metro Rail works by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh (undivided)
• May 2013: Final approval of Viability Gap Funding of Rs 1,458 crore by the Centre
• September 2014: Notification of the alignment of three corridors of Hyderabad Metro Rail project under Central Metro Acts by the Centre
• January 2015: Approval of Signalling and Telecom system of HMR project by Railway Board
• April 2016: Commissioner of metro rail safety (CMRS) authorisation for opening of 8.05 km long elevated section between Nagole - Mettuguda, Stage-1; Corridor-III of Hyderabad Metro Rail project for public carriage of passengers
• August 2016: CMRS authorisation for Stage 2 - Miyapur to SR Nagar section, opening for public carriage of passengers
• July 2017: Revised time lines for COD on or before November 30, 2018
• November 20, 2017: CMRS authorisation from Mettuguda to Ameerpet stretch for opening for public carriage of passengers
• November 28, 2017: Metro rail inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.