Hyderabad Metro Rail touches another milestone

Hyderabad: The ambitious Hyderabad Metro Rail project works, which is going at a fast pace, has touched another milestone by embarking the stage of laying rails. The rails have already been placed at the Uppal Metro Rail depot, where the Metro Rail will finally descend from the elevated tracks.

Speaking to media persons, V B Gadgil, Chief Executive and Managing Director of Larson and Turbo Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Ltd (LTMRHL), said the laying of rails was almost near completion at the Uppal depot which was going to be the model depot of the Metro Rail.

'Laying of rails on the viaduct (the platform for the rails on the long piers) will be taken up in a full fledged manner between June and July at the Nagole-Mettuguda stretch and simultaneously in other stretches where the erection of piers (pillars) and viaduct is completed,' explained Gadgil.

Clearing the general doubt among the denizens about how could two trains run on the same platform that appears it could not accommodate, Gadgil said the size of the metro rail was of 'Standard Guage' but not 'broad Guage'.

He said though the platform on pier might look not wide enough to fit two trains from the ground, its platform is width is eight meters long and would increase to 10 meters with parapet on the either side
make it to 10 meters and easily fit two trains that run to and fro.

The specification for standard gauge rolling stock is based on light weight stainless steel bodied threecar formation, After procuring the first lot of rail in March from France, the second lot of rails has started arriving in the city.

About 22,500 tonnes of rails required for the Hyderabad metro project will be procured in six lots as per the project schedule.

The rails are 18 meters long and weigh about 1,100 kg each. To cater for the sharp curves and steep gradients in the project, it is decided to provide 'wear resistant head hardened' rails for the complete main line and normal rails for the depots.

Of the total 72.6 kms of metro rail stretch, foundation had been laid up to 20 kms, piers up to 16.2 kms length had been erected and viaduct up to a line of 3.2 kms had been placed.

Currently, the main work of metro rail is being carried on six areas Nagole-Mettuguda, Miyapur -SR Nagar, LB Nagar-Victoria Memorial line, Begumpet and Ameerpet and recently the works have entered Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills, as part of corridor-I and corridor-III.

While in the corridor ' II, JBS-Falaknuma line, the soil testing is completed and engineering working drawing and planning are underway. Works along Parade Ground might start any time, said Gadgil.