Hyderabad’s metro rail Phase II Green Line project is making good progress as it moves towards the Old City. Officials are working quickly to acquire land for the project. However, some challenges remain as different communities are raising concerns about the impact on the area’s religious and heritage sites.
The Old City is known for its rich cultural heritage, bustling markets, and famous landmarks that attract many visitors. Unfortunately, transportation in this area has not been great, making it hard for people to explore. The upcoming metro will make it easier for visitors to reach and explore the Old City. However, community leaders are worried about the metro’s impact on religious and heritage structures along the route. In response, officials are trying to explain the engineering solutions they are using to protect these important sites, such as adjusting the location of metro pillars and stations.
To speed up the metro project, Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) has ramped up land acquisition efforts. The Deputy Collector and land acquisition officer, Swarna Lata, is overseeing the process for the 7.5-kilometer section between MGBS and Chandrayangutta. According to her, more than 1,200 properties will be affected by road widening in this area.
Sayed Safder Ali Moosvi, an activist from the Forum for Old City, said that several community leaders have been holding meetings to discuss concerns about religious structures and traditional processions, which are celebrated with much enthusiasm. There are more than 100 religious sites along the metro route, including mosques, temples, dargahs, Ashoorkhanas, and graveyards.
HMRL Managing Director NVS Reddy assured that all religious and heritage sites will be protected. He explained that innovative engineering solutions are being used to ensure that none of these sensitive structures will be damaged. The metro team is not widening the road near these sites to avoid any harm to them.
Ali Moosvi added that some areas of Niyaz Khana, which belongs to the Nizam’s Trust, and other Ashoorkhanas have already been handed over to HMRL, as they fall within the metro route. However, many property owners are resisting the acquisition process. Some are unhappy with the compensation amount, which is Rs 57,000, while others are facing family disputes or legal issues. Swarna Lata said that if property owners don’t cooperate, their cases will be taken to court.
The concerns raised by local residents have also been forwarded to higher authorities, including the State Chief Secretary, for further consideration.
As part of the project, roads are being widened to 100 feet, according to the GHMC master plan. However, at metro station locations, the roads will be widened to 120 feet. Currently, the road width varies from 50 to 60 feet between Darulshifa Junction and Shalibanda Junction, and it is 80 feet wide from Shalibanda Junction to Chandrayangutta. The road widening will affect about 20 to 25 feet of each property in most cases, though the affected area may increase at metro stations or where there are sharp curves.
