While the preparation of all Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and firming up costs and financial returns for MRTS would be completed by June 10
Span Consultants and Semaly consortium have been chosen as owner's consultants. The project would be taken up as build, operate and transfer model. With the State Government and the Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, keen to expedite the project, the first section of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project would become a reality by December 2008, according to Government sources.Dr Reddy, who recently reviewed the status of Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) and Hyderabad MRTS (Metro Rail) project with officials of Municipal Administration, Railways, Road Transport Corporation and the Finance Department, was keen that the project be completed at the earliest. While the preparation of all Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and firming up costs and financial returns for MRTS would be completed by June 10, the Cabinet could potentially take this up for approval by the month end.
The investors' meet (pre-qualified consortia) would be on June 15. Once the preparation of technical and financial bid documents is completed, this would be sent to the Central Government for approval. As per the plan, the Hyderabad Metro Rail Corporation (HMRC) will be formed by August. Simultaneously, the identification of Government lands for stations, depots and workshops would be completed by July-end. The financial bids of the project are likely to be evaluated by October 20.
In an effort to expedite the metro project, the pre-construction activities will be taken up in parallel processing mode. Since the existing MMTS has the potential to handle about 2 lakh passengers as against 70 lakh passenger-trips per day in the city, the Government has embarked upon the metro rail project as a long-term solution for easing traffic problems.
