Hyderabad’s skyline may soon feature more elevated tracks, thanks to Union Minister G Kishan Reddy’s direct intervention with CM A Revanth Reddy. In a timely letter, Reddy pressed for expedited land acquisition to breathe life into the long-awaited metro rail extensions, addressing a bottleneck that’s held the city back for years.
The projects under spotlight encompass 14 new corridors spanning 75 km, designed to weave through densely populated areas and industrial zones. Acquisition challenges have idled heavy machinery worth crores, with legal disputes and valuation disagreements piling up in courts.
Leveraging his position, Reddy proposed innovative solutions: drone-based surveys for precision mapping, one-time settlement schemes for legacy claims, and public-private partnerships for compensation funding. ‘This is not just about tracks; it’s about Hyderabad’s future mobility,’ he wrote, citing the Centre’s proactive role via dedicated viability gap funding.
Urban planners applaud the move, noting that timely execution could integrate the metro with bus rapid transit and cycle networks, creating a multi-modal ecosystem. Environmental benefits are equally compelling, with potential reductions in carbon emissions equivalent to removing 1 lakh cars from roads annually.
Revanth Reddy’s Congress government, still settling into governance, now confronts this litmus test. A positive reply could foster Centre-state synergy; delays might fuel political narratives ahead of urban local body polls. For Hyderabad’s 1 crore-plus residents, the message is clear: faster land deals mean faster commutes and a brighter tomorrow.