India is home to many cities where an effective public transportation system is seen as the right alternative in view of bustling traffic, rapid expansion and population explosion. It not only addresses the traffic hassles but also ensures a sustainable development of different areas within the city. The Hyderabad Metro Rail is one such mass transit system which has been built across three high-density traffic corridors of the city spanning across 66 km in phase-I.
The three corridors are Corridor I, i.e. Miyapur – LB Nagar with 29 kms and 27 stations, while Corridor II represents the MGBS- JBS stretch spanning a distance of about 11 kms with 10 stations and the Corridor III stretches from Nagole to Raidurg spanning 29 kms with 24 stations. The Metro Rail system of Hyderabad is a completely elevated system that runs above the central median of the road. The metro consists of state-of-the-art features like Automatic Train Protection (ATP), Automatic Train Control (ATC), with scope for Automatic Train Operation (ATO) as well in the future.
The metro stations are located at an average interval of about 1 KM as elevated stations, with passenger access by means of staircases, escalators and lifts. With a frequency of 3 to 5 minutes during peak hours, the system is expected to carry more than a million passengers per day. With a maximum speed of 80 kmph and an average speed of 34 kmph, the metro coaches are fully air-conditioned with automatic doors and many other safety features.
The metro rail is witnessing record footfalls and is becoming an inseparable part of the city’s ethos and culture. With several milestones, awards and recognition, and most importantly, commuter patronage, Hyderabad metro has charted a new success story in the history of modern Hyderabad. Currently, it is the second largest operational metro in India after Delhi metro and it has clearly redefined public transportation system in Hyderabad city. Moreover, the emergence of Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown led to the halt of metro operations in the city but as part of unlock measures, with the services resuming, the denizens of Hyderabad have reposed their faith in Hyderabad Metro Rail, with growing passenger traffic.
