Stalemate over route map may delay Metro Rail project

Hyderabad, Oct 14 (INN): Nearly one month after threatening to pull out of the Rs 16,000 crore-plus Hyderabad Metro Rail project, the developer, L&T  Metro Rail Hyderabad, is still waiting for the State Government’s response to sort the issues concerning the design of route map.
 
According to sources, the L&T authorities have written four letters to the State Government seeking clarification on the objections raised on the floor of State Legislative Assembly by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on the design of Metro Rail project. KCR had opposed any damage to heritage structures around Assembly premises, including the Telangana martyrs’ memorial at Gun Park to facilitate the project. Similarly, he wanted the Metro Rail route to be changed at Sultan Bazar. He favoured underground route at some places to ensure that the heritage structures remain intact.
 
However, the State Government did not reply to any of the letters written by the L&T authorities. Consequently, the Metro Rail works at Assembly building are at halt since May 23. “Since we can’t have a direct confrontation with the Chief Minister, we can’t resume the works unless we get total clearance from the State Government,” one L&T official said when contacted.
 
The project was originally scheduled to complete by August 15, 2016. However, any changes in the design or route map might delay the project by almost one year. Besides leading to escalation of project cost, the delay in completion of the project might result in L&T paying the compensation to government as per the original agreement.
 
The L&T authorities, however, are certain of completing the SR Nagar to Miyapur stretch by August 15, 2015.