HMR to commission research agency to audit metro rail operations

A reputable socio-economic research company will soon be hired by Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) Limited, the Telangana Government's Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that has overseen the construction and ongoing operation of the metro rail project, to conduct an analysis of the current metro rail operations, costs, passenger amenities, and affordability. Senior metro rail officials explained on October 31 that this occurred after the Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MH&UA) Additional Secretary Surendra Kumar Badge formed a three-member Fare Fixation Committee (FCC) to recommend a fare revision. The FCC was chaired by Justice (retired) G. Shyam Prasad. The Metro Rail Bhavan is now home to the Central Metro Railways Act panel. Separate presentations and consultations have already begun between the HMR and the concessionaire L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH). L&TMRH, which built the project and is running across three corridors of Red Line — L.B. Nagar to Miyapur; Blue Line — Nagole to Raidurg; and Green Line — Jubilee Bus Station (JBS) to Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS), Imlibun, or 69 km in total, has requested the appointment of the fare revision committee as the project's five-year anniversary approaches this month, informed senior metro officials. “The committee will receive suggestions from the public and will go into the details of the cost, income, and expenditure of running and maintaining the transport system. It has three months to submit a report. L&TMRH will make a submission and this too will be studied including the real estate development before it is taken to the government by the HMR for a final decision,” they said. Metro riders can provide feedback to the committee on fares — whether they should be raised, reduced, or kept the same — as well as passenger comforts. On the other hand, “The agency to be appointed will be doing an independent survey talking to the commuters, do a lot of analysis, study inflationary trends and rail operations also,” said HMR Managing Director N.V.S. Reddy, when contacted. See also: Telangana govt allocates Rs 2,377.35 cr to Hyderabad Metro Rail Head of Hyderabad Metro: DPRs for phase-II are under consideration