Around 1,200 properties will be affected due to road widening and the construction of stations as part of the Old City Metro project in Hyderabad. This project involves a 7.5 km stretch between MGBS (Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station) and Chandrayangutta. To move forward with the project, Hyderabad Metro Rail authorities are speeding up the land acquisition process in this area.
According to Metro Rail officials, notifications have already been issued for 400 out of the 1,200 affected properties under the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. The road is being widened to 100 feet according to the GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) master plan. However, at the locations where metro stations will be built, the road will be widened to 120 feet. Currently, the road width varies between 50 and 60 feet from Darulshifa Junction to Shalibanda Junction, and it is 80 feet wide from Shalibanda Junction to Chandrayangutta. As a result, most properties will lose around 20 to 25 feet of land from Darulshifa to Shalibanda, and about 10 feet from Shalibanda to Chandrayangutta. The affected area will be larger near metro stations and in areas with sharp curves.
NVS Reddy, Managing Director of Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML), mentioned that in addition to traditional survey methods, a LiDAR drone survey was used to get a 3D view of the affected properties and their surrounding areas. HAML engineers are also conducting physical inspections to assess the structural value of the affected properties. Reddy assured that all 103 religious and other sensitive structures along this stretch will be protected by using innovative engineering solutions and by carefully adjusting the locations of metro pillars and stations.
Property owners affected by the project can seek clarifications, file objections, and address other concerns at the office of the Land Acquisition Officer (LAO) of HAML during the specified period. The entire land acquisition process is expected to take about eight months to complete, following the procedures of the Land Acquisition Act, Reddy added.
